BlueStar

These elegant milkweed relatives are native to the South. Plants grow 23 feet high and wide, with narrow leaves and erect stems crowned by clusters of small, star-shaped blue flowers in late spring. They are among the best perennials for fall colorfoliage turns bright yellow in autumn. All are tough plants that succeed in ordinary soil. They tolerate some drought and suffer from few pests. Deer don't eat them.

• From southeastern U.S. Leaves narrower than those of Amsonia tabernaemontana, wider than those of Amsonia hubrichtii.
• Rich blue flowers; good fall leaf color.

• Soft leaves are very narrow, almost needlelike.
• Discovered in Arkansas in 1942 by Leslie Hubricht and considered by many to be the finest of bluestars.
• It forms a clump to 3 feet tall and wide; blossoms are sky-blue.
• Fall foliage is an exceptionally bright, clear gold.

• Native to Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, and Kansas.
• Leathery, shiny, willowlike leaves; pale blue blossoms.

• Rare bluestar native to Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia.
• Backs of leaves are coated with a soft felt.
• Light blue flowers.

• Compact species native to Florida and Georgia.
• Grows 1122 feet high.
• Light blue flowers are held atop firm stems.
• Both leaves and stems are smoky purple when new.

• Native to the Southeast, this is the most commercially available species.
• It has dull, dark green, willowlike leaves and slate- blue flowers.
• Two selections with deep blue blossoms are 'Blue Ice', a compact grower to 15 inches tall and 2 feet wide, and 'Louisiana Dwarf', to 112 feet tall and 2 feet wide.
• Purple has showy purple blooms.