Dr.A's Top Picks from the Garden: Amsonia

In this episode, Dr. Allan Armitage shares one of his favorite native perennials—the beautiful and dependable Blue Star Flower (Amsonia). While its soft blue spring blooms are charming, the real magic of these plants comes from their graceful foliage and, for some varieties, spectacular fall color.

Dr. A compares two outstanding species that deserve a place in more gardens:

• Arkansas Blue Star (Amsonia hubrichtii) – prized for its delicate, thread-like foliage and breathtaking golden fall color, especially in cooler climates.
• Eastern Blue Star (Amsonia tabernaemontana) – featuring larger leaves, richer blue flowers, and excellent garden performance across a wide range of growing conditions.

Along the way, you'll learn:

• Why Amsonia is one of the easiest native perennials to grow
• The differences between these two popular species
• Which variety performs best in northern versus southern gardens
• Why fall color can vary depending on your climate
• How these long-lived plants bring beauty to gardens throughout multiple seasons

Whether you're looking for reliable spring flowers, outstanding fall foliage, or simply a tough, beautiful native perennial, Blue Star deserves a closer look.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Arkansas Blue Star (Amsonia hubrichtii)
• Eastern Blue Star (Amsonia tabernaemontana)
• Native perennials
• Fall color in the perennial garden

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow gardener. For more gardening resources and Dr. Allan Armitage's books, visit alanarmitage.com.

See you in the garden!