From late spring to early summer, two-to three inch wide clusters of small, light blue star-shaped flowers are displayed above the fern-like foliage. The soft green provides nice filler in the perennial bed in spring and summer. But perhaps what sets Amsonia apart from other selections in the perennial garden is the lovely yellow-golden color the foliage displays in the fall.

Arkansas Blue Star gives you the durability of the best natives and the grace and charm of a well refined perennial, all while providing an effective display from spring through fall. In the summer, these lacy plants provide an interesting textural foil for other plants in the garden. In the fall, the foliage turns a golden yellow and persists for about three weeks. The plant is most beautiful season in the fall.

Amsonia grows 36 inches tall and 36 inches wide in a mounded form. This hardy perennial grows in hardiness zones 4 through 9 and is a versatile North American native. It thrives in full sun to partial shade, and in average soil. Once established, it is quite drought tolerant.

For more information, call Buncombe County Cooperative Extension at 828-255-5522.

(Image provided by the Perennial Plant Association.)

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