Amsonia tabernaemontana (Eastern Bluestar)

Amsonia tabernaemontana is an upright, showy perennial wildflower related to milkweed; also known as eastern bluestar, the species is noted for its wide, lanceolate leaves and pale blue start-shaped flowers from late spring to early summer. In the autumn months, foliage turns to a striking golden-orange hue, adding further seasonal interest beyond its vernal blooms. Eastern bluestar typically reaches a height of about 1-3' tall in vase-like clumps to about 3' wide, and plants produce a cloud of soft, pale blue flowers atop their mounded growth through late spring, occasionally reblooming through the summer. 

Naturally resistant to deer and rabbit foraging due to its toxic sap, Amsonia tabernaemontana makes for a great addition to garden types across a wide range of soils, as long as it is provided with full sun to partial shade. Since bluestar flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds among other pollinators, it makes for a great addition to pollinator gardens and wildflower meadows, but eastern bluestar really thrives when given space to spread, and thrives in wetter, but well-draining locations like sandy riverbanks and moist, sloped forests.