• Image of Amsonia orientalis 'Blue Ice' taken at H. Hansen Gdn, MI
  • Image of Amsonia orientalis 'Blue Ice' taken at H. Hansen Gdn, MI
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Amsonia orientalis 'Blue Ice'

Blue Ice Blue Star

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Item #: 4225

Zones: 4a to 9b

Dormancy: Winter

Height: 15" tall

Culture: Sun

Origin: Greece, Turkey

Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)


$22.00
$22.00
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Next crop available: 12/06/2024

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(aka: Amsonia WFF form) Amsonia 'Blue Ice' is an amazing selection of Amsonia blue star that was discovered in a seedling block of Amsonia at Connecticut's Sunny Border Nursery by Michael Dodge, then of White Flower Farm. For years, we thought it was a hybrid, but paternity tests revealed it to be a selection of the Eurasian (Greece and Turkey) Amsonia orientalis. The 2' wide mound of narrow, dark green, deer-resistant foliage is topped in early spring with large clusters of very dark lavender-blue flowers...much more vivid than other blue stars. For us, Amsonia 'Blue Ice' has been an amazingly vigorous plant for the spring garden.

Maintenance:

Amsonia 'Blue Ice' is a very low maintenance perennial that does not need division or resetting since it tends to get better with each passing year. Deer usually avoid browsing on amsonia.

Amsonias hybridize with other amsonias in the garden, so will not come true from seed. For that reason, we recommend removing the long, thin, brown pods before the seed drop in mid to late summer.

The ornamental value of the foliage of blue stars end once it turns brown. The tidy gardener might want to cut the stems to the ground at this point, which is fine, though it can be left all winter with no ill affect. It is best to cut the stems down before new growth starts in spring.

Nomenclature:

For years, we weren't sure to which species Amsonia Blue Ice' belonged, but we can now say with confidence that it's a selection of Amsonia orientalis.

Garden Conditions:

Amsonia Blue Ice' has a wide range of garden tolerance. It can be grown in very dry soils alongside cactus, but can also be grown in soggy pondside soils. Although it will tolerate some light shade, it performs and flowers much better with more than 4 hours of sun daily.

Garden Value:

All Amsonia species are valuable for their early bloom of pure blue flowers. The narrow foliage of Amsonia 'Blue Ice' provides an attractive contrast to bolder textured plants.

Natural Impact:

Amsonia is pollinated by an array of insects including butterflies, moths, long-tongued bees, as well as hummingbirds.