♦ Zones:  5 - 8     Height:  24 - 36"     Exposure:  Full Sun to Part Shade ♦

This Blue Star (sometimes commonly called Arkansas amsonia or Hubricht's amsonia) is an uncommon perennial that is native to the Ouachita Mountains in central Arkansas. It is very similar in appearance to the Missouri native Amsonia ciliata (see J310), except the leaves of A. hubrichtii are more narrow and thread-like and the emerging foliage lacks conspicuous hairiness. An erect, clump-forming plant that is primarily grown in cultivation for its blue spring flowers, feathery green summer foliage and golden fall color. Powdery blue, 1/2" star-like flowers appear in terminal clusters in late spring atop stems rising to 3' tall. Feathery, soft-textured, needle-like, alternate leaves are bright green in spring and summer, but turn bright gold in autumn. From a distance plants have an almost lily-like appearance. This species was named after Leslie Hubricht who first discovered it growing in the wild in the early 1940s.