Common Blue Star

Common Blue Star (Amsonia tabernaemontana)

Full to part sun, wet to moderately moist moisture level, tolerates a wide range of soils from sandy to clay, slightly acid pH.

2–3 feet tall and wide, blooms in spring with pale blue star-shaped flowers; forms a shrubby clump; spreads slowly by seed and short rhizomes.

Germination Code: C(60) — cold stratification required; slightly difficult to germinate from seed. Division in spring is the preferred propagation method.

Native region: Statewide in Tennessee, occurring naturally in wetlands and moist woodland margins.

One of the most reliable native perennials for Middle Tennessee. Tolerates the clay soils common throughout the Columbia and I-65 corridor without amendment. Foliage turns clear golden yellow in fall, providing a second season of interest. Tolerates full shade but becomes floppy and may require staking in low-light conditions — part sun to full sun produces self-supporting, compact plants. Slow to establish from container stock but extremely long-lived once rooted. Attracts hummingbirds and butterflies; larval host for some moth species.