Ozark Blue Star
Amsonia illustris
Apocynaceae
Growth habit
Herbaceous
Perennation
Long-lived polycarpic perennial
Native distribution
MO to KS and TX
Location
Source of plant
Bluebird Nursery Inc., We-Du Nurseries
Description
Much like A. tabernaemontana; leaves firm, shining above, narrowly lanceolate, to 15 mm wide, glabrous beneath; calyx lobes sparsely pilose, especially distally; corolla tube sparsely villous near the summit externally; follicles tending to be slightly constricted between the seeds; May-blooming (DS 179). This received top marks in the Chicago Botanic Garden Amsonia evaluation. Plants 18" to 24" tall, foliage glossy and leathery (DS 278).
USDA Hardiness Zone
5