Eastern bluestar
Amsonia tabernaemontana
Apocynaceae


Landscape Uses:

Wildflower gardens.

Ecological Restoration Notes:

Availability:
Available at native plant nurseries in northeast Florida.
Description:
Perennial wildflower 2-4 feet tall with blue flowers.
Height:
Typically 2-4 feet in height, often as broad as tall.
Growth Rate:
Moderate.
Range:
Eastern United States south to Alachua and Levy counties.
Habitats:
Floodplain forests, wet hammocks.
Soils:
Moist to wet, well-drained sandy or limestone soils, with humusy top layer.
Nutritional Requirements:
Moderate; can grow in nutrient poor soils, but needs some organic content to thrive.
Salt Water Tolerance:
Low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance:
Low; salt wind may burn the leaves.
Drought Tolerance:
Moderate; generally requires moist soils, but tolerant of short periods of drought once established.
Light Requirements:
Light shade to full sun.
Flower Color:
Blue
Flower Characteristics:
Showy.
Flowering Season:
Spring.
Fruit:
3 inch long, thin pods
Wildlife and Ecology:
Horticultural Notes:
Comments:
We have been adding data for this species for central and northern Florida and welcome any feedback or review. If you would like to contribute information or images, please contact George Gann via the IRC staff page.


Shirley Denton
Shirley Denton
Lilly Anderson-Messec via her Instagram account @lilliumbyrd.