Starstruck Amsonia

Size

The perennial Starstruck Amsonia will bring native pollinators around to your garden beginning in spring. The little rounded plant fills with star-shaped flowers in periwinkle blue that rise above narrow green leaves. This easy-care plant can fill your garden with flowers and the insects that love them when you plant several as a mass planting (and pretty blue color explosion). Amsonia is cold hardy to zone 4 but can tolerate heat all the way up to zone 9, so it is a versatile choice in many growing regions. Starstruck grows to about 22 inches high and 3 feet around, a great size for placing in the middle of a garden bed as well. The pretty blue flowers keep coming from early spring through early summer. The shrub can grow in full or part sun. Deer avoid amsonia, so that is another reason to add it to your landscape. In fact, add several to form a border around your garden bed, before taller plants. Starstruck Amsonia Care Your Starstruck Amsonia is not picky about soil; nearly any soil type will do, including sand and clay. It does prefer a neutral soil pH, but again, not picky at all! Choose a spot that gets partial or full sun, so at least 4 to 6 hours of light a day. Fertilize once in spring with a slow-release fertilizer that is water soluble. That should be all you need to do; Mother Nature will do the rest. Amsonia likes some humidity and regular water, but does not do well if it sits in soggy soil. Once the plant is established, it can handle periods of drought. Other than watering, the plant needs little care to thrive. You can prune off the faded flowers after it is done blooming in summer. Starstruck Amsonia Spacing Space your plants far enough apart to account for their low, spreading habit. In most cases, about 3 feet apart is plenty for this amsonia. For a border effect, inch the plants a little closer together.