Arkansas Bluestar
Amsonia hubrichtii
Zones 5–13
Growing
This ornamental perennial is prized for its feathery, thread-like foliage that creates a soft, bushy texture in the garden. When you plant it, ensure the site is well-drained, as the plant does not tolerate waterlogged soil. While it thrives in full sun or partial sun, the foliage provides a lovely seasonal transition, appearing bright green in the spring and shifting to a brilliant gold as autumn arrives.
If you are starting this plant from seed or transplanting nursery stock, you can expect a compact, clumping habit that stays in place without spreading aggressively. This makes it an excellent choice for containers or for adding structure to garden borders without encroaching on neighboring plants. To maintain a tidy appearance, you can divide the clumps periodically to refresh the plant.
As a pollinator-friendly species, it is a wonderful addition to a habitat-focused landscape. Always keep in mind that this plant is toxic to people, pets, and livestock, so handle it with care in areas where animals or children may interact with the foliage.
| Sun | full sun |
|---|---|
| Water | medium |
| Grow time | — |
| Height | 1–3ft |
| Spacing | 12–24in |
| Full sun | ✓ |
|---|---|
| Part shade | ✓ |
| Shade | ✗ |
| Life cycle | perennial |
|---|---|
| Category | garden perennial |
| Growth habit | bush |
| Season | cool |
| Frost tolerance | hardy |
| Height | 1–3ft |
| Spacing | 12–24in |
| Days to bloom | over 150 |
| Native us | ✓ |
| Water | medium |
|---|---|
| Drainage | well drained |
| Soil ph min | — |
| Soil ph max | — |
| Propagation | |
| Seed | ✓ |
| Cutting | ✗ |
| Division | ✓ |
| Graft | ✗ |
| Tuber bulb crown | ✗ |
| Transplant | ✓ |
| Container ok | ✓ |
| Spread | clump |
| Deer resistant | ✓ |
| Drought tolerant | ✓ |
| Pollinator friendly | ✓ |
| Toxic to | |
| People | ✓ |
| Pets | ✓ |
| Livestock | ✓ |
| Length | 2–6wk |
|---|---|
| Colors | |
| White | ✓ |
| Yellow | ✗ |
| Orange | ✗ |
| Red | ✗ |
| Pink | ✗ |
| Purple | ✗ |
| Blue | ✓ |
| Green | ✗ |
| Fragrant | ✗ |
| Reblooms | ✗ |
| Deadhead | ✗ |
| Cut flower | ✗ |
| Dried flower | ✗ |
| Status | none |
|---|---|
| Regions | |
| Northeast | ✗ |
| Southeast | ✗ |
| Midwest | ✗ |
| Plains | ✗ |
| Southwest | ✗ |
| Mountain west | ✗ |
| Pacific northwest | ✗ |
| California | ✗ |
| Hawaii | ✗ |
| State noxious | ✗ |
| Escapes cultivation | ✗ |
| Visitors | |
|---|---|
| Honey bees | ✓ |
| Native bees | ✓ |
| Bumblebees | ✓ |
| Butterflies | ✓ |
| Moths | ✓ |
| Hummingbirds | ✗ |
| Beneficial insects | ✓ |
| Nectar | medium |
| Pollen | medium |
| Larval host | ✓ |
| Specialist bees | ✓ |
| Seed for birds | ✓ |
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Harvest | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
References: Wikipedia · how this data is made