Eastern Bluestar

Eastern Bluestar (Amsonia tabernaemontana) also known as Common Bluestar or Willow Bluestar, is a native species with a wide native range that includes most of the Eastern and Midwestern United States and along the Gulf Coast. Typically found in open woods and thickets, it thrives in average, well-drained soil and prefers moist, loamy soil. It can tolerate clay soil and even spells of drought. It’s a great choice for rain gardens. It performs best in full sun, but can tolerate partial shade, though it may require staking if planted in shade. For a neater appearance and to prevent flopping, especially in shadier sites, plants can be cut back 1/2 to 1/3 after flowering, to promote denser growth and a more rounded mound of foliage. However, trimming will mean that the plants do not produce their seedpods.

Eastern Bluestar is especially beautiful when planted in naturalized gardens and meadowscapes, massed in garden borders, and open woodland areas. The flowers attract long-tongued insects, including Large Carpenter Bees and hummingbird moths, and Eastern Bluestar is one of several host plants for the Snowberry Clearwing moth. The foliage of Bluestar contains a toxic white sap, making it reliably deer-, rabbit- and herbivore- resistant.

Amsonia tabernaemontana is a winner of the Plants of Merit Award from Missouri Botanical Garden, selected for its outstanding quality and dependable performance for the lower Midwest.

Eastern Bluestar was featured as a Top Performer in a Mt Cuba Center Trial Garden Research Report. These reports evaluate native plants and related cultivars for horticultural and ecological value, highlighting the ecosystem services they provide.