Amsonia (aka: bluestar) are one of the best temperate genera (18 species) of blue-flowered perennials for the spring garden. We’ve offered quite a few different species and selections through the years, rotating them in and out as propagation successes allow and as sales dictate. All but two of the species, (Amsonia orientalis from Europe and Amsonia elliptica from Asia) are North American natives. Most are extremely drought tolerant, while others like Amsonia rigida and Amsonia tabernaemontana can tolerate very wet soils.
Amsonia montana is a commonly grown plant of mystery, having just appeared in horticulture, but never been documented from a wild population. A few of the amsonia species have flowers so pale blue that they appear white in the garden with only a hint of blue on the flower corolla. Amsonia are quite promiscuous in the garden, so if you grow more than one species nearby, you will have hybrids from seed. We hope you’ll explore this amazing genus of perennials.
Those are all beautiful!
Have several different Amsonias and all are pollinator magnets! Look great when planted with yellow flowering perennials in the garden. Love the leaf color in fall. I have markers to remind me where they are planted as mine die back to the ground in winter.
Amsonia hubrichtii has great fall color. The leaves turn a yellow gold color. Are the other Amsonia plant species also known for their fall color?
Also … curious about possible plants for stepping stones in a ‘Prairie Garden’ and other great prairie plants for Raleigh NC. Thanks!
The amount of fall color on amsonia tends to vary with climate. So far, we haven’t noticed any with fall color to match A. hubrichtii. As for stepping stones, it depends on the length of your inseam, but A. ciliata ‘Georgia Pancake’ and A. montana ‘Short Stack’ would be obvious choices, but realize that they spread out horizontally, so would need to be located at an acceptable social distance from the actual stones.
These are beautiful plants. I had a Montana for years, but I didn’t know its potential when I planted it. Make sure to plant it where you want it to stay forever because it’s impossible to divide or move. Has a root ball like a coral reef and does not like to be transplanted. My husband had to dig it out for me and use his Sawzall to divide it. And they get BIG if they are in a good location.
Not only are they beautiful and incredibly tough, they’re also highly resistant to herbivores like deer and voles.