Eastern Bluestar
Amsonia tabernaemontana var. salicifolia
Pale blue spring stars, clean willow-like foliage all summer, then weeks of saturated gold each fall. Deer-proof and permanent once settled.
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
Three genuinely distinct seasons of interest: blue spring flowers, lush summer foliage, and spectacular golden fall color.
Eastern Bluestar is a classic three-season perennial, which is unusual in the native plant world where most plants have a single moment. In spring, clusters of pale blue star-shaped flowers cover the rounded mound of willow-like leaves. Through summer, the dense, fine-textured foliage provides a clean, lush backdrop for other border plants. Then in fall, the entire plant turns a clear, saturated gold that rivals any ornamental grass, an autumn display lasting four to six weeks. The willow-leaf variety has narrower, more refined foliage than the straight species, making it slightly more elegant in mixed borders. The milky sap is mildly toxic; handle with care. It's completely deer-proof, long-lived, and very slow to establish but then permanent. Plant it in a spot where it won't need moving: it forms a deep root system over time and resents disturbance.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown eastern bluestar 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
- Average
- Mature size
- 2–3 ft · 24–36 in wide
- Bloom time
- Spring
- Bloom color
- Blue
- USDA zones
- 3–9
- Family
- Apocynaceae
- Native range
- Eastern and central United States, from New Jersey south to Florida, west to Texas
Care notes for eastern bluestar.
Plant in full sun to part shade in moist to average, well-drained soil. Tolerates periodic flooding. Cut back by half after flowering to maintain dense, mounded form. Do not transplant once established. Slow to establish. patience is required in years one and two. The milky sap is mildly irritating; wear gloves when pruning.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside eastern bluestar.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
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Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.