Newly planted seedlings may take a year or two to get established, but at the end of the third year the Threadleaf Bluestar will grow two to three feet tall and wide. (Photo by Virginia Rozenkranz)
Amsonia hubrichtii or Threadleaf Bluestar is a wonderful native herbaceous plant that has graceful billowing branches covered with very fine soft foliage and in May it produces beautiful sky blue star-shaped flowers that grow in clusters at the tips of each branch.
Newly planted seedlings may take a year or two to get established, but at the end of the third year the Threadleaf Bluestar will grow two to three feet tall and wide.
The plants prefer to grow in full sun and moist but well drained soils, but this plant is a survivor and can grow in almost any type of soil, including Rain Gardens, and even though it loves full sun, it is tolerant of light afternoon shade.
The soft almost feathery foliage starts off as a bright green in the springtime and stays a nice rich green through the heat of summer, then in the autumn it turns a bright golden yellow that shines in the landscape.
The pretty half inch star-shaped blue flowers grow on clusters almost five inches long, attracting many butterflies and adding both color and motion to the sunny garden.
The flowers can also be used as cut flowers or cut and dried for indoor color in the winter.
While butterflies are always welcome in a garden, deer and rabbits are often not, so the good news is the Theadleaf bluestar is resistant to both deer and rabbit damage, allowing the butterflies to enjoy all the blooming flowers.
These beautiful native plant can be added to a flowering boarder, in a cottage garden or meadow garden, and add three seasons of color to all gardens.
Once the flowers are finished blooming it is always a good idea to trim the plants back six to eight inches above the ground so the plants can grow dense, compact foliage.
(Editor’s Note: Ginny Rosenkranz is a commercial horticulture specialist with the University of Maryland Extension.)
