Georgia Wildlife Federation

Resources <Wildlife Habitats <Guide to Native Plants of Georgia for Wildlife <Amsonia tabernaemontana

Noted author and horticulture professor Dr. Allan Armitage states that Bluestar is “high on my list for best native perennial in the garden and with good reason. This potent perennial packs a punch with eye-catching clusters of star-like blue blooms in early spring. It is one of the first plants to bloom and provides an important nectar source for adult butterflies and moths that emerge early in the growing season. Bluestar is a flagship plant for many nurseries wishing to expand their range of native plants, and several Amsonia species and cultivars are becoming readily available. The golden fall color is also a plus for this plant, as is its low maintenance and high attraction to nectariferous insects.

Family: Apocynaceae (Dogbane)

Description: Upright perennial with narrow lanceolate or ovate leaves that radiate in a star-like pattern from the stem. Pale blue clusters of star-shaped, five-petaled blooms terminate the 2-3’ long stems in mid to late spring. They are followed by long, narrow green seed pods. Fall color is golden.

Size: 2 to 3 feet tall

Habit: Upright herbaceous perennial. Forms colonies of several stems

Light: Sun; somewhat tolerant of partial shade

Planting and Care: Plants grown in full sun require no maintenance, but plants grown in too much shade will topple and appear leggy and may require staking. Plants may be cut back after blooming for fuller, bushier plants. Division is not necessary.

Ornamental Value: Assets include the striking blue star-like blooms in the spring, and then the foliage turns a beautiful golden color in the fall. It is one of the first plants to flower, the flowering period lasting up to an entire month.

Landscape UsE: Best employed in mass plantings, borders, edgings, containers, or allowed to colonize. It makes an excellent choice for wet spots, water gardens, along streams, or in woodland meadows. It especially pairs well with native Willow trees because of the similar-looking foliage. It is also drought resistant.

Wildlife Benefits: As one of the earliest garden perennials to bloom, Bluestar provides an important nectar source for insect life at a time when most other plants are still dormant. The foliage is also a larval food for the delicate gray Coral Hairstreak butterfly.

Native Habitat: A. tabernaemontana is the most common species of Amsonia in the eastern U.S. and is also common in the Midwest. Native to moist woodlands and stream banks from Massachusetts to Kansas, south to Georgia and Texas