Kalimeris mongolica 'Hortensis'

(aka: Asteromoea mongolica, Aster mongolicus, Kalimeris pinnatifida) It's been hard to keep up with the name changes, since this poor plant's identity has been batted around by taxonomists more than a tennis ball on Wimbledon's Centre Court. A favorite of the late garden writer Elizabeth Lawrence, Kalimeris 'Hortensis' is a wonderful, slowly spreading deciduous perennial which arises in spring to form a dense patch of 20" tall, interwoven stems, clothed with apple-green, serrated foliage, then topped with creamy white, fully double, 1" chrysanthemum-esque flowers throughout the summer...whew! If you look closely enough, you will notice a light lavender blush to the lower ring of petals...that's for you designer types. Kalimeris mongolica 'Hortensis' blends well into any perennial border by softening more dramatic color contrasts.

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