Hubricht’s bluestar (Amsonia hubrichtii) is a beautiful clump-forming, herbaceous perennial that has many noteworthy characteristics. It is a member of the Dogbane plant family, or Apocynaceae. One trait expressed by members of this family is a milky/latex sap. Due to this, Hubricht’s bluestar is not preferred by deer. It is known for its elegant powdery blue, star-shaped flowers, which grow in clusters at the ends of the stems. These delicate flowers make an appearance in late spring around April and last until the end of May, sometimes even longer. The foliage showcases thin, filamentous leaves along the stem in an alternate fashion. They are a beautiful green during the growing season and turn to a stunning yellow in the fall. This plant can bring nice texture and color to any garden.
Native to south-central United States, Hubricht’s bluestar can grow to about 3 feet tall and spreads 2-3 feet at maturity. It is ideal for many different garden situations and is very low maintenance. It performs best in well-drained, rich soil but can tolerate a wide range of conditions. It produces the best fall color in full sun, though blooms may persist longer if given some afternoon shade. It is also notable that Amsonia is the preferred nectar source for Mourning Cloaks and other early butterflies. To prevent the plant from flopping over, it is recommended that you cut back the stems about a 1/3 after it’s done blooming.


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