Jim Crockett was the original host of the popular television program "The Victory Garden," which many gardeners watch. A cultivar of our native plant Boltonia was named in his honor.

Like all baltonias it has small daisy-like flowers and blooms in the fall.

But whereas most boltonias are large stiff stemmed shrubby plants with lance shaped leaves and clouds of little white flowers, ‘Jim Crockett' is a dwarf form. It has lavender blue daisies with yellow centers and makes a good cut flower. (It is available from catalogs or nurseries.)

Boltonias have smaller flowers than asters but enjoy similar kinds of conditions: full sun and well-drained moist soil, but when established they are drought tolerant.

Plant Your Own

Divide clumps every two to three years. There are eight species in the genus but only one that is suitable for the gardens, and it is B.asteroides. The flowers grow on 4-6ft. plants and are mostly white but can also be pinkish purple.

‘Snowbank' is a good white cultivar and ‘Pink Beauty' is a nice pale pink. All are hardy zones 3-9. They are prone to mildew but otherwise trouble free and robust.

As companions for asters and other fall bloomers, boltonias are serviceable and appealing in the garden and in the vase.

And because ‘Jim Crockett' is a manageable size you may want to have him in your garden too.

Source: www.whiteflowerfarm.com ‘Jim Crockett’