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Amsonia illustris |
 |
| Common name |
Ozark blue star; shining blue star |
| Family |
apocynaceae |
| Life cycle |
perennial |
| Flowers |
light blue (May) |
| Size |
3' |
| Light |
sun-part shade |
From seed  |
Give cold treatment (6-8 weeks), then germinate at room temperature. Bottom heat may help.
detailed seed-starting info below
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| Seed ripens | early October |
A blue star whose flowers are quite like those of A. tabernaemontana (which has graced our garden for much longer). The foliage is longer, as are the seedpods (although the odd seeds are quite similar). The fall color on this species is better than on tabernaemontana — as the photo at right shows, the golden yellow leaves gleam in the late-October to mid-November garden.
We have two large plants in our garden; the one in full sun appears to have broader leaves than the one that receives part shade - so much so that I confused the latter with A. hubrichtii for a while - but that species has truly thread-like leaves.
|
| | Newly re-emerging, late April |
| 
| | Late October |
|
| | The narrow-leaved variety, early November |
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We left this plant behind in our Pennsylvania garden (and wish it well); we don't grow it in Houston. See comparative information about amsonias in our garden One or more images of this plant are included in my stock photo catalog About my plant portraits
PlantLinks to other web pages about Amsonia illustris
Visitors to this page have left the following comments| Joyce Grigonis | Aug 30, 2008 | I bought this plant tagged as Amsonia Tab. Grande today at Peconic River Herb Farm in Riverhead, LI, NY on the $5 discount table. Looked it up on Google, comparing photos, and your photo looks exactly like the leaves on my plant which are thick and leathery, wider. Mine is also in autumn coloration, probably early because of being in the pot too long. It's not blooming either, but has bloom cluster remnants, and one pod developing. So I am pretty sure mine is A. illustris and not Amsonia Tab. Grande. Thanks for the great photos for reference!
Time will tell for this plant. Next year when it has recovered and filled out a bit, we shall see what it really is! Now if the deer will leave it alone!!!
Thanks again...Joyce |
| Priscilla | Oct 12, 2009 | Bought 3 from the Zoo about 8 years ago. The volunteer salesperson did not recall the name. Have transplanted from one house to another, one bed to another and they've all done famously. The happiest one lives in full-sun, bushing out to appx. 3 1/2' high by 5' wide. So glad to know my Blue Shining Star's name after all of these years!! Thanks for the wonderful photos! |
- Seed from '03 trade. Baggy 35F (7w) - 70F (24%G, 9-19d)
- Seed from '07 garden. Baggy 35F (8w) - 70F (9d) - 75F (100%G, 3-5d)
- Seed from '08 garden. Baggy 35F (8w) - 75F (80%G, 4-9d)
As with other amsonias, I've found that this one appreciates a warm temperature for germination, after its cold stage.
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