Amsonia 'Blue Ice'

Amsonia 'Blue Ice': All the Periwinkle, Half the Size

Periwinkle stars opening from darker buds in spring, then the whole mound turns gold in fall. 'Blue Ice' is a short, cool customer that gives you two seasons for the price of one. ICE COLD, THEN SOLID GOLD.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Amsonia 'Blue Ice'
• Common Name: Blue Star
• Height: 30–40 cm (12–16 in)
• Spread: 45–60 cm (18–24 in)
• Flowers: Clusters of periwinkle-blue, star-shaped flowers opening from darker buds
• Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer (May to June)
• Foliage: Glossy, lance-shaped green leaves in a dense mound, turning golden yellow in fall
• Features: Rabbit resistant, tolerates clay, fairly drought tolerant once established

Where to Plant: Use it at the front or middle of a border, along a walkway, or massed as a low, shrub-like edging. It's a good fit for small gardens that want fall colour without a big plant, and it handles clay soil well.

Companion Plants: Edge a sunny or lightly shaded bed with 'Blue Ice' and let bolder summer colour follow. Lupinus 'Gallery Blue' adds deep blue lupine spikes at 45 to 60 cm in June and July. Hemerocallis 'Moses' Fire' brings double cherry-red daylilies at 55 to 60 cm in July and August. Pycnanthemum virginianum adds white mountain mint at 60 to 90 cm from July to September, buzzing with pollinators. Miscanthus 'Little Zebra' rises behind at 90 to 120 cm with gold-banded blades.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun to part sun in average, well-drained soil. Full sun gives the best flowering and fall colour. In too much shade, it can get loose and floppy. Water regularly through the first season, then only during long dry spells. Amsonia needs very little. If you'd like a tidier mound after bloom, cut the stems back by about a third once the flowers fade. Cut it to the ground in late fall, or leave the golden foliage standing and cut it in early spring. Divide in spring only if needed, as established plants have tough roots. The stems contain a milky sap that can irritate skin, so wear gloves when cutting.

History: 'Blue Ice' was found among Amsonia tabernaemontana seedlings at White Flower Farm in Connecticut, and its exact parentage is unknown. It was long sold as a hybrid of the North American native, but later trials at Mt. Cuba Center suggest it is closer to Amsonia orientalis.

Final Thoughts: Clay soil, deer and rabbits get a shrug while it stays tidy. Plant it along a front edge. THE LOW MAINTENANCE FRIEND EVERYONE DESERVES.