Dwarf Bluestar 'Blue Ice'
Amsonia 'Blue Ice'
Ice-blue star flowers in spring on a tidy 12 to 18 inch mound, then weeks of golden fall color. Deer-proof and drought-tolerant.
Typically 1 pint–1 gal · $9–$30 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
Spring blue flowers, tidy summer form, and brilliant fall gold. three seasons of interest in one compact plant.
'Blue Ice' is a compact, mounded amsonia that packs all the blue-star charm into a tighter package suitable for the front of a border or a container. Starry, ice-blue flowers cluster at the tips of stiff stems in spring, followed by dense, fine-textured foliage that stays tidy and attractive all summer. In fall the whole plant turns brilliant golden-yellow, which earns it a second look from every passerby. It's more compact than the straight Amsonia species, typically 12 to 18 inches instead of 2 to 3 feet, which makes it easier to work into smaller garden designs. The fall color is the real selling point: the golden display can last four to six weeks, often into November. Completely deer-proof, drought-tolerant once established, and completely undemanding once planted correctly. One of the most reliable four-season perennials in the native palette.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown dwarf bluestar 'blue ice' propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Dry
- Mature size
- 1–1.5 ft · 18–24 in wide
- Bloom time
- Spring
- Bloom color
- Blue
- USDA zones
- 4–9
- Family
- Apocynaceae
- Native range
- Hybrid cultivar derived from North American Amsonia species
Care notes for dwarf bluestar 'blue ice'.
Plant in full sun to part shade in average to dry, well-drained soil. Cut back by half after flowering to encourage denser growth. Do not over-water or over-fertilize. lean conditions produce better form and color. The milky sap is mildly toxic; handle with care. No division needed for many years.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside dwarf bluestar 'blue ice'.
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