Amsonia orientalis

About this cultivar:

Amsonia orientalis, once called Rhazya orientalis, is a woody-based perennial with erect stems bearing narrowly lance-shaped leaves, and light or dark blue flowers 1-2cm across. Sturdy and easy to look after.

• Position: Full sun, partial shade
• Soil: Almost any soil 
• Flowers: May, June, July
  
• Other features: -
• Hardiness: H4 - Hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5°C)
• Habit: Clump forming
• Foliage: Deciduous
• Height: 30 - 60 cm (1 - 2 ft)
• Spread: 30 - 60 cm (1 - 2 ft)
• Time to full growth: 2 to 5 years
• Plant type: Herbaceous Perennial
• Colour: Blue, white, green
• Goes well with: Geranium, Crocosmia, Rosa

About this genus:

Amsonia are clump-forming perennials with milky sap (containing latex), lance-shaped leaves and terminal panicles of small, starry blue flowers in spring and summer. They are not invasive, easy in any soil or situation, slug and snail resistant, fully hardy, and flower reliably each year. They should be a garden staple! They are named after Charles Amson, an 18th-century physician from Virginia, but are often commonly named Blue Star.

Try them at the front of the border, or use multiple clumps to form ground cover. Good combinations include ground cover plants or clumping plants like Geranium, specifically Geranium psilostemon. The subtle foliage and blue flowers can serve as an attractive foil for more showy plants like Crocosmia or some Roses.