If you have a garden, you’re looking for ways to make it stand out and be the best it can be. Blue star flowers are one way to do that.
Amsonia is a genus of flowering plants commonly known as Bluestar and willow leaf, and it grows best in full sun and well-drained soil. It features dainty, blue flowers that bloom in the springtime and beautiful, green, needle-like foliage that turns yellow in the fall.
If you’re looking for a plant that will draw people’s attention, Amsonia is your answer. The flowers are beautiful and delicate, but they also have plenty of medicinal uses. They make a great addition to any garden because they grow low to the ground and look like a bush, but their blue flowers add a pop of color that will impress.
In this article, we’ll go over all the details you need to know about these plants—from how they grow in the wild to how they do at home, how they do in different environments, and how you can keep them thriving!
Growing Conditions for Bluestar Flowers
Amsonia hubrichtii is a tolerant plant that requires full sun and moist, well-drained soil. It tolerates some shade, but the lower the light conditions, the more it will flop over. Fertilize with a slow-release fertilizer in early spring and deadhead spent flowers for continued bloom through summer.
Bluestar flowers are stunning when planted en masse in naturalized settings or as specimens with other native perennials. This Amsonia blooms when many spring wildflowers are finished, extending the season of color in your garden and attracting butterflies to boot!
Plant blue starflower in drifts or massed alongside other prairie plants such as prairie coneflower (Ratibida pinnata), blazing stars (Liatris spp.), and purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea). They also make excellent cut flowers if you can bear cutting them from your garden, but don’t expect them to last long indoors.
The Growth Cycle of the Bluestar Flower
Amsonia flowers are perennial, meaning that the plant lives for more than two years. Bluestar is a spring ephemeral. The leaves will appear when they feel like it. Once they have grown to be large and green, flower buds will appear at the tips of the stems. Then, at last, beautiful blue star-shaped flowers will emerge from the buds and bloom for about three weeks in late spring or early summer. WiThelant goes through its final growth stage bewith flowering complete fore beginning a dormancy period in late autumn (fall). Plant parts above ground die back after temperatures drop below freezing in colder climates; however, roots grow underground until soil temperatures drop too low.
How to Grow Amsonia Flowers
The Amsonia are incredibly hardy plants that can be grown in almost any soil type, although they do best in soil that drains well. You can grow them from seed or purchase young plants from nurseries and garden centers. If you want to increase the plant in your garden, there are two ways:
- In the springtime, start by digging a hole about an inch deep and filling it with water. Make sure the dirt is loose so that they aren’t suffocated by mud when you plant the seeds. If necessary, loosen up some of the surrounding soil before planting.
- Once planted, place a few inches of mulch around each seedling to retain moisture while preventing weed growth until they have started growing on their own. Dig up an area around each seedling’s root ball so that there is space for new roots to form without being crowded by neighboring plants. Plant two or three seeds in a row about eight inches apart along your path to always be something growing at all stages throughout the season!
- You can also plant seeds indoors if you’re worried about frost damage outdoors (which will kill most varieties). Fill small pots full of potting mix or peat moss – make sure these containers have drainage holes! – then, put one Amsonia seed into each vessel. Place these containers under fluorescent lights for 12 hours every day until germination occurs (about three weeks). Keep watering them regularly and transplant them outdoors when they reach maturity (usually after four months).
Pruning and Maintenance of Amsonia Flowers
Those looking for a low-maintenance plant will be pleased to see that maintenance of this flower is straightforward. After the flower heads have dried, remove them, then prune the entire plant back to the ground. When pruning Amsonia, cut the enwholelant back to about two inches tall. Each year after flowering, prune your blue star flowers down to keep them looking neat and compact. This can be done in early spring or late fall.
Learn more about growing a Bluestar flower in your garden.
Amsonia is extremely easy to grow in most regions, and they will thrive in various conditions. They do best when planted in full sun, but some shade will also be tolerated. The plants need well-drained, slightly acidic soil. Amend your soil with compost to create the correct pH for the plant.
These plants are highly drought-resistant and require minimal supplemental watering once established. They prefer dry conditions and may even go dormant during an arid summer if you live in a hot climate zone.
You can propagate Amsonia flowers by seeds or division of the root ball, which should be done every few years. It is usually best to divide them as soon as new growth appears so that you can separate the plant into several smaller bunches at planting time.
Pruning is not required for these plants, but you may wish to cut them back after flowering has finished for the season if you have space issues with nearby perennials that need room to grow or spread out naturally during the growing process season.
Tough but beautiful, Amsonia plants are a must-have for your garden!