What’s Coming Up In The Garden, 34: threadleaf bluestar

This plant defied identification and it’s taken me a few days to sit down and research it. Its name tag in the garden has been lost and I couldn’t find my notebook that has my original planting design plan. It was a good exercise in using some books and online databases to figure it out.

I also can’t remember where I purchased it - though I think probably the NC Botanical Garden sale. My sources for plants all sell natives only, so this makes me think it has been found someplace in NC.

It turns out this is an uncommon variation of eastern bluestar, found in Oklahoma and Arkansas, so it’s a US native, but I can’t find anything that says it’s a NC native. It’s listed as a vulnerable plant globally due to its rarity.

In any case, it’s a lovely plant, blooming now and the leaves turn a lovely color in the fall, so it has multi-seasonal interest in the garden bed. The thin leaves add a nice texture to the garden, too.

Here it is today:

It takes up this entire corner of the bed and is growing beautifully in the garden.

More info:

Amsonia hubrichtii 

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Plant of Merit

Common Name: blue star 

Type: Herbaceous perennial

Family: Apocynaceae

Native Range: South-central United States

Zone: 5 to 8

Height: 2.00 to 3.00 feet

Spread: 2.00 to 3.00 feet

Bloom Time: April to May

Bloom Description: Powdery blue

Sun: Full sun to part shade

Water: Medium

Maintenance: Low

Suggested Use: Rain Garden

Flower: Showy

Leaf: Good Fall

Attracts: Butterflies

Tolerate: Deer

Garden locations

Culture

Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Best fall foliage color usually occurs in full sun, but flowers generally last longer if given some afternoon shade in hot sun areas. Stems tend to open up and flop in too much shade, however. Consider cutting back the stems by about 6" after flowering to help keep stems upright and to shape plants into a nice foliage mound.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Amsonia hubrichtii, commonly called bluestar, Arkansas amsonia or Hubricht's amsonia, is an uncommon perennial that is native to the Ouachita Mountains in central Arkansas. It is very similar in appearance to the Missouri native Amsonia ciliata, except the leaves of A. hubrichtii are more narrow and thread-like and the emerging foliage lacks conspicuous hairiness. An erect, clump-forming plant that is primarily grown in cultivation for its blue spring flowers, feathery green summer foliage and golden fall color. Powdery blue, 1/2" star-like flowers appear in terminal clusters in late spring atop stems rising to 3' tall. Feathery, soft-textured, needle-like, alternate leaves are bright green in spring and summer, but turn bright gold in autumn. From a distance plants have an almost lily-like appearance.
Specific epithet honors Leslie Hubricht who first discovered it growing in the wild in the early 1940s.

Genus name honors 18th-century Virginian physician Dr. Charles Amson.

Specific epithet honors Leslie Hubricht who first discovered it growing in the wild in the early 1940s.

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems. Plants may flop, particularly if not cut back after flowering.

Garden Uses

Borders, rock gardens, native plant garden, cottage garden or open woodland area. Best when massed.

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