BLUE STAR:A native plant for the masses

摘要

In the 1990s there was an electrifying buzz around Arkansas bluestar [Amsonia hubrichtii) that rocketed it from a collector's plant to a phenomenon in the gardening world. Its alluring blue flowers were familiar to me—I already knew the hulking eastern bluestar [A. tabemaemontand]— but the soft, threadlike leaves and rich, golden fall color of Arkansas bluestar were a novelty. These bluestars are similarly built, although Arkansas bluestar seems less intimidating because of its fine-textured foliage. Along the way from native plant to indispensable garden perennial, Arkansas bluestar was honored as Perennial Plant of the Year in 2011, which is more than just a beauty prize or popularity contest. Its ornamental merits and easy culture have made ita mainstay but it's certainly not the only worthy bluestar.