FNPS Plant Database

Amsonia tabernaemontana

easterm bluestar, blue dogbane
  • Photo by: Paul Rebmann, Pawpaw Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Paul Rebmann, Pawpaw Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Paul Rebmann, Pawpaw Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

easterm bluestar, blue dogbane

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Amsonia tabernaemontana

Family:

Apocynaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

flower

Size:

2-3 (4) ft tall by 2-3 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

blue

Fruit Color:

Phenology:

winter dormant

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Fall Color

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Wildflower garden. Also useful as a cut flower.

Considerations:

Poisonous foliage.

Availability:

Seed

Propagation:

Seed, division.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Stays wet -to- Somewhat moist, no flooding

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Clay, Loam

Soil pH:

Suitable to Grow In:

8A, 8B

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.

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Vouchered In:

Distribution
Vouchered
Not vouchered
Selected
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No county distribution is available for this plant yet.
Starting…
Map coded by Melissa Fernandez-de Cespedes (Paynes Prairie Chapter)

Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Butterflies, Hummingbirds

The flowers attract long-tongued insects such as carpenter bees, hummingbird moths, and butterflies. Ruby-throated hummingbirds are also attracted to the nectar.  Not known to be a larval plant for monarch butterflies.

Avoided by mammalian herbivores.

Native Habitats:

Moist hammocks, ruderal.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

FNPS Plant Print

Citations:

Huegel, Craig N. (2012). Native Wildflowers and Other Ground Covers for Florida Landscapes. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.


Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. (1999+). Atlas of Florida Plants. ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ). [S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), USF Water Institute.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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