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Eastern Bluestar Wikimedia Commons
Apocynaceae

Eastern Bluestar

Amsonia tabernaemontana

Quiet strength.

Family
Apocynaceae
Genus
Amsonia
Native to
Eastern United States, Central United States
Bloom season
Spring, Summer
Type
perennial
Height
1-3 ft
Sunlight
full sun to part shade
Soil
Well-drained, moist, average soil
Water
moderate
Hardiness
3-9
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • The species name honors 16th-century German botanist Jakob Theodor von Bergzabern, whose Latinized name was Tabernaemontanus.
  • Eastern Bluestar forms perfectly dome-shaped clumps that need no staking or support.
  • Its steel-blue star-shaped flowers are a rare true blue color uncommon in the plant world.
  • The plant can live for decades in the same location, improving in appearance each year.
  • Native Americans used Amsonia root preparations to treat a variety of ailments including pain and fever.

Color meanings

0

resilience

1

understated elegance

Uses

  • perennial borders
  • native gardens
  • rain gardens
  • pollinator habitats