Amsonia hubrichtii

HUBRICHT’S BLUE STARS

Amsonia hubrichtii
HUBRICHT’S BLUE STARS

Amsonia hubrichtii is unusual, very beautiful, and gives long value in the garden.

Clusters of soft powder-blue stars

Clustered heads of soft, powder-blue coloured stars, giving the common name of “Hubricht’s Blue Stars”.

Long blooming from mid-spring into summer

This beautiful perennial gives so much of value in the garden, with flowers, foliage, texture and plant structure.
The flower colour of soft powder-blue is rare in the plant world, and even more relished as the flowers keep coming on fresh stems from mid spring well into summer.

Sheer stunner in autumn

Then in autumn the show continues as the fine foliage colours up to vivid golds.
Plus the freshly emerging stems in spring also provide lovely colours and texture.
But Amsonia hubrichtii is a sheer stunner in autumn.

Finest thread-like leaves 

Amsonia hubrichtii clothes every stem with fine, long pointed foliage, as slender as threads.
Hence the alternative common name of  “Thread Leaf Blue Star”.
A single clump produces many many stems, with each stem densely packed with thread slender leaves, and arranged right up the stems to the flowering tips.

In a halo of beautiful stems

Stems fan out like a graceful halo from a tightly growing base – so no wonder Amsonia hubrichtii is considered a plant with everything – fine foliage, texture and structure in the garden.
As well as being an outstanding bloomer, and an autumn sensation.
A plant in full flight is approx. 90cm. high x 80cm. diameter fountain shape.

Motion in the garden

The whole fountain of fine stems and flowers sway and swirl gracefully in every breeze, so animating the garden.
This plant pleases on every level.

Next level interest in autumn

Then of course the whole halo of shape and texture steps up to the next level with vivid gold autumn foliage.

Easily grown long-lived perennial

Amsonia hubrichtii is an easily grown, graceful perennial clump.
It is long-lived and hardy, so will delight you for many years.
Plant in Full Sun to Part Shade.

Hardy in heat, dry, frost

“Hubricht’s Blue Stars” is frost hardy down to at least -20°C, but also happily copes with summer heat and humidity.
Thanks to conditions in ts native Arkansaw range.

Water-wise & dry hardy

Once established it is a water-wise plant, that thrives on barely average garden watering, even during dry periods.
It is considered reasonably drought resistant if pushed.

Copes in a range of soils, including clay

Likewise it is able to cope in a wide range of soils, and is a treasure for gardeners on clay soil.
But can also do just as well in sandy soil or normal garden loam, as well as clay.
And serene in a wide range of soil pH, from acid to alkaline.
The only thing it dislikes is being permanently waterlogged.

Low maintenance

There is little if any work to do to keep clumps of Hubricht’s Blue Stars looking glamorous.
They do not need pruning, though you can tidy up by chopping back to the ground in winter, and thus clearing the way for the attractive new growth in spring.
(A trim back after flowering is only needed if they are grown in too much shade, making them unnaturally leggy).

Pest & disease resistant

Amsonia are almost never plagued by any pests or diseases.

Rabbit & deer resistant

Rabbits and deer are both common in the native habitat of Amsonia, so the plant has developed natural defences to being chewed.
It has a milky sap, like Euphorbias, that stings the lips of attackers (wear gloves if pruning).

Attracts pollinators

While Amsonia hubrichtii blooms are a honeypot for bees, butterflies, pollinators and nectar sipping birds.
With flowers rich in nectar.

Who was Hubricht?

Lucky Mr. Hubricht to have such a beautiful plant named after him.
Botanist Leslie Hubricht was the first to document this beauty in the 1940’s, growing wild in the Ouachita hills of Arkansas.
“Hubricht’s Blue Stars” is now rare in the wild and could be easily lost.
But fortunately it is lovingly preserved by gardeners for its exquisite beauty.

SEED SOWING ADVICE: Warm-cool-warm

Sow seeds of Amsonia hubrichtii at any time indoors whenever suitable temperatures can be provided (20-22°C).
OR
Sow directly in the garden in autumn and winter.

First boil some water and leave to cool down a little.
Then place seeds in a glass of warm water at approx. 20C.
And leave to soak for 24 hours before sowing.

Now sow the seeds on the surface of good quality seed raising mix in a punnet.
And pat gently into surface to ensure good contact.
But do not cover with mix, as these seeds need light to germinate.

Give a “pretend winter”

Place in a cool, well-lit position at around 20-22°C approx.  for 3-4 weeks (never in any direct sunlight as this will dry out the seeds too much).
You can use a heat mat if you have one to maintain warm temperatures for this pre-conditioning.
(Some of the seeds may germinate during this pre-conditioning warm time – so prick out any early seedlings that have germinated, before giving the moist-cold treatment period.)

Then wrap the moist, sown punnet in cling-wrap and leave in fridge (not freezer) for 3-4 weeks.

Now remove, unwrap, moisten again in the water bath, and return the punnet to the warm, well-lit place at temperatures around 20-22°C for germination.

Seedlings begin emerging in approx. 30 days.
Prick out seedlings and pot on as they appear.
But do not discard the punnet as seeds will likely continue to germinate over a period (staggered germination is a natural defence of this plant to give the babies a sporting chance).

Seed Count: 3 seeds per pack (Seeds of this unusual beauty are rarely available).

Click here for Nursery Open Days & Open Gardens Information
https://www.gardivalia.com.au/open-gardens

Click here to go back to Seeds Shop
https://www.seedscape.net.au/shop/