{"title":"Amsonia","description":"\u003cp\u003eAmsonia (Blue Star) is a genus of mostly native plants. These perennial wildflowers \u003ca title=\"Shop all butterfly attracting plants\" href=\"https:\/\/www.plantdelights.sbs\/collections\/butterfly-attracting-plants-flowers\"\u003eattract butterflies\u003c\/a\u003e, and are deer-resistant, sun-loving plants prized for their drought tolerance and true blue flowers. Not only are Amsonia species themselves superb, but many of the newer amsonia (blue star) hybrids could become garden staples. Amsonia hubrichtii was named the 2011 Perennial Plant of the Year by the Perennial Plant Association for its delicate texture, blue flowers and fantastic yellow fall foliage. Amsonia hubrichtii has long been one of our favorites too.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAmsonia is a tough, easy to grow, deer-resistant, full sun perennial that tolerates a variety of garden soils. Amsonia looks great grown in a large drift but also makes a wonderful backdrop or companion plant for other garden species. When you are ready to buy amsonia for your garden, check out our list of Amsonia Blue star for sale.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTry creating an astronomy garden that contains Amsonia (Blue Star) plus golden star (Chrysogonum), blazing star (Liatris), white star grass (Dichromena), star flower (Ipheion), star of persia (Allium), blue star creeper (Laurentia), \u003ca title=\"Zephyranthes\" href=\"https:\/\/www.plantdelights.sbs\/collections\/zephyranthes\"\u003eZephyranthes\u003c\/a\u003e 'Morning Star', Crinum 'Stars and Stripes', Yucca 'Tiny Star' and Kniphofia 'Sally's Comet'. This constellation of color will have you seeing stars all year long.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003ch3\u003eMaintenance:\u003c\/h3\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAmsonia is a low maintenance perennial that improves over time and doesn't require division or resetting. It is resistant to deer browsing. However, it can hybridize with other amsonias in the garden, leading to seeds that don't produce true offspring. To prevent this, we recommend discarding the long, thin, brown pods before they drop seeds in mid to late summer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhile the ornamental value of bluestar foliage diminishes when it turns brown, gardeners can choose to either cut the stems down to the ground for tidiness or leave them throughout winter without negative effects. For optimal growth, it's advised to trim the stems before new spring growth begins.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowing Conditions:\u003c\/h3\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAmsonia is versatile in most garden conditions, thriving in both dry soils near cacti and damp, pondside soils. While it can tolerate some light shade, it achieves its best performance and flowering with over 4 hours of daily sunlight.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Value:\u003c\/h3\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eEvery Amsonia species offers value through its early blooming of vivid blue flowers and its slender foliage, which creates an appealing contrast to more robust textured plants.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003ch3\u003eNatural Impact:\u003c\/h3\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eBlue star flowers are pollinated by a diverse range of insects such as butterflies, moths, long-tongued bees, and hummingbirds.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"amsonia-hubrichtii","title":"Amsonia hubrichtii","description":"\u003cp\u003eAmsonia hubrichtii is a North American native perennial plant that was discovered in 1942 in Arkansas by Leslie Hubricht and named in his honor. This species sports some of the narrowest, laciest, most threadlike foliage of any upright bluestar species. Introduced into cultivation by Woodlanders Nursery, this fine southern native is one of the best of the blue stars. The sky blue flowers emerge atop the 3' tall x 6' wide clump when it breaks the ground in April and blooms into May. In autumn, the deciduous golden foliage is stunning...a great fall foliage plant!\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaintenance:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eHubricht's blue star does not need division or resetting, since it tends to get better with each passing year. The ornamental value of the foliage of this species and other Amsonia species ends once it turns brown. The tidy gardener might want to cut the stems to the ground at this point, which is fine, though it can be left all winter with no ill affect. It is best to cut the stems down before new growth starts in spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eWhile it will sometime reseed in the garden, we remove the seed before they fall since amsonias are quite promiscuous in the garden and if you have more than one species, you will wind up with a range of hybrids if you let the seed drop.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGarden Conditions:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAmsonia species are often encountered in the wild as woodland plants and they will flower modestly in light shade or part shade, but really perform best in full sun for 4+ hours daily. It is not particular about soils, and can grow fine in both moist and dry soils.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGarden Value:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAll Amsonia species are valuable for their early bloom of pure blue flowers.This wonderful species is notable for the fact that its foliage colors up in the fall. It is a display that lasts several weeks as it turns from green to yellow then amber. The very slender leaves provide an attractive contrast to bolder textured plants. Deer usually avoid Amsonia.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Plant Delights Nursery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":21000550853,"sku":"759","price":22.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1527\/8799\/files\/Amsonia-hubrichtii.i-759.s-67506.r-1_b4ae0efa-660a-4e40-bb8a-fdac8c918cfa.jpg?v=1792073312"},{"product_id":"amsonia-tabernaemontana-storm-cloud","title":"Amsonia tabernaemontana Storm Cloud","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn 2011, plant breeder Hans Hansen and Tony were botanizing along a woodland stream in a remote Bibb County, Alabama forest when we spotted several clumps of \u003ca title=\"amsonia\" href=\"https:\/\/www.plantdelights.sbs\/collections\/amsonia\"\u003eamsonia\u003c\/a\u003e flowering in the wet, deep shade. We collected divisions of a few clones and after trialing them in both NC and Michigan, we selected one we both agreed was the best amsonia we'd ever grown. Amsonia tabernaemontana 'Storm Cloud' forms a compact 2' tall x 3' wide clump that emerges with black stems, which contrast nicely with the dense heads of sky blue flowers...simply fantastic!\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch3\u003eMaintenance:\u003c\/h3\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAmsonia 'Storm Cloud' is a very low maintenance perennial that does not need division or resetting since it tends to get better with each passing year. Deer usually avoid browsing on amsonia.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAmsonias hybridize with other amsonias in the garden, so will not come true from seed. For that reason, we recommend removing the long, thin, brown pods before the seed drop in mid to late summer.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eThe ornamental value of the foliage of bluestars end once it turns brown. The tidy gardener might want to cut the stems to the ground at this point, which is fine, though it can be left all winter with no ill affect. It is best to cut the stems down before new growth starts in spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Conditions:\u003c\/h3\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAmsonia 'Storm Cloud' has a wide range of garden tolerance. It can be grown in very dry soils alongside cactus, but can also be grown in soggy pondside soils. Although it will tolerate some light shade, it performs and flowers much better with more than 4 hours of sun daily.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003ch3\u003eGarden Value:\u003c\/h3\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAll Amsonia species are valuable for their early bloom of pure blue flowers. The narrow foliage provides an attractive contrast to bolder textured plants.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003ch3\u003eNatural Impact:\u003c\/h3\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003eAmsonia is pollinated by an array of insects including butterflies, moths, long-tongued bees, as well as hummingbirds.\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Plant Delights Nursery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":21030007557,"sku":"12043","price":17.6,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1527\/8799\/files\/Amsonia-tabernaemontana-Storm-Cloud.i-12043.s-64348.r-1.jpg?v=1791482747"},{"product_id":"amsonia-glaberrima-hardins-gem","title":"Amsonia glaberrima Hardins Gem","description":"\u003cp\u003eAmsonia glaberrima 'Hardin's Gem' is a 2024 Plant Delights\/JLBG introduction of our clonal selection from a Rick Lewandowski wild seed collection from Hardin County, Texas. Some authorities include Amsonia glaberrima in Amsonia tabernaemontana, which makes it obvious that they've never actually grown both plants. Amsonia 'Hardin's Gem' forms a very compact 30\" tall x 4' wide dense mass of smooth, narrow green leaves, and topped with flower spikes that start for us in mid-April. Our six-year-old clump produces 160 spikes, with each spike containing about 100 small sky-blue flowers each...what an outstanding specimen.\u003c\/p\u003e ","brand":"Plant Delights Nursery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40420054368343,"sku":"16876","price":19.2,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1527\/8799\/files\/Amsonia-glaberrima-Hardins-Gem.i-16876.s-67347.r-1_677d475a-0c19-4efd-9247-175d3e947080.jpg?v=1791566296"},{"product_id":"amsonia-rigida-blacks-dwarf","title":"Amsonia rigida Blacks Dwarf","description":"\u003cp\u003eAmsonia rigida 'Black's Dwarf' is a 2024 Plant Delights\/JLBG introduction of an amazing dwarf form of the Southeast native Amsonia rigida, discovered by botanical explorer, Adam Black. In this particular Georgia population, all of the rigid bluestars, which typically exceed 4' in height, had this unique dwarf stature. For us, this 15\" tall, rock garden-sized selection is prized for its black-purple stems, small size, and pale blue flowers, which top the plant, starting for us in late April (NC).\u003c\/p\u003e ","brand":"Plant Delights Nursery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40420054663255,"sku":"17144","price":20.8,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1527\/8799\/files\/Amsonia-rigida-Blacks-Dwarf.i-17144.s-67349.r-1.jpg?v=1792073106"},{"product_id":"amsonia-wild-blue-yonder","title":"Amsonia Wild Blue Yonder","description":"\u003cp\u003e(aka: Amsonia PDN001) Amsonia 'Wild Blue Yonder' is a 2025 Plant Delights\/JLBG introduction of a bluestar that we think is the finest large clone we've ever grown. This hybrid of Amsonia rigida and Amsonia hubrichtii forms a 4' tall dense clump that's narrow at the base, but spreads to 6' at the top. Amsonia 'Wild Blue Yonder' emerges with lovely cinnamon stems, and is topped, starting in mid-April with terminal flower heads, each composed of hundreds of true, sky blue flowers. We think this is truly a unique and exceptional selection.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWatch our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/CxKSPspyBQw?si=VuKoLd6f1S9Kx9v2\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePlant Spotlight\u003c\/a\u003e video for more information. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Plant Delights Nursery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41463536222295,"sku":"16659","price":24.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1527\/8799\/files\/Amsonia-Wild-Blue-Yonder.i-16659.s-68092.r-1_3dbf1688-5527-4285-b1bd-55b4b3323a44.jpg?v=1791376727"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1527\/8799\/collections\/Amsonia-tabernaemontana-Storm-Cloud-1900x350.jpg?v=1691001714","url":"https:\/\/www.plantdelights.sbs\/collections\/amsonia.oembed","provider":"Plant Delights Nursery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}