Achieve Year-Round Splendor with Amsonia (Blue Star)!

Let’s take a closer look at Amsonia (Bluestar)! This is a native perennial that requires little-to-no maintenance. It gets the name “Bluestar” because, in the Spring, it features gorgeous blue flowers. To us, though, that’s just a bonus, as Amsonia’s foliage provides year-round interest and a gorgeous, glowing Fall display. 

Amsonia does really well from full sun to part shade. It can handle a fair amount of moisture, but does need a well-draining soil to do its best. We have dwarf varieties that range from 12-24 inches, all the way up to larger, shrubbier forms that can reach 4 feet tall! This is a great plant to use as an alternative to an ornamental grass, as you get the texture and movement of a grass with the added bonus of Spring flowers and Fall color. 

Amsonia is a wonderful plant for year-round interest in the garden—from its beautiful, dainty light blue flowers in Spring to its gorgeous Fall color. We have two main types at Bountiful Gardens—the threadleaf variety and the broadleaf variety. 

The broadleaf variety tends to get to around 12-24 inches and spreads along the ground as a ground cover.  The threadleaf variety grows more like a shrub, and you can expect them to reach 3-4 feet in height and around 6 feet in diameter. No matter which you choose, your Bluestar will attract tons of essential pollinators to your garden! 

Amsonia is a unique and interesting plant that works well in almost any perennial garden. The plant contains a sap with latex in it, so indigenous tribes used to use it to help close up wounds. If you have a latest allergy though, you may just want to enjoy the plant for its beauty and ecological benefits! 

Bluestar also makes a perfect addition to cut flower arrangements. The stems have a really nice delicate structure to them that adds some depth and foliage to your arrangement. And when they do flower, it’s a really striking centerpiece that’s great for any bouquet. People like to plant them in their cut flower gardens just in case they ever need a sprig of greenery! 

Amsonia is a native perennial here in New Jersey, and it’s deer and pest resistant thanks to the latex sap that can be found in its stem. As we go into Fall, Amsonia leaves turn into a beautiful yellow color with bright orange stems. The variety that will have the showiest foliage is called ‘Butterscotch’. 

Another fun fact about Amsonia is that it was named by Dr. Charles Amson, who was a Virginian scientific explorer and physician in the 18th century. 

With its blue Spring blooms and blazing Autumn hues, Amsonia is a surefire standout in any garden!