Plant Min Zone: 5a
Plant Max Zone: 9a
Sunlight: Full Sun, Part Sun
Water / Rainfall: Low, Average
Soil Quality: Average, Rich
Bloom Season: Spring
Flower Color: Blue
Berry / Fruit Color: None
Spring Foliage Color: Green
Summer Foliage Color: Green
Fall Foliage Color: Gold, Yellow
Evergreen Foliage: No
Winter Interest: Some
Scented Flowers: No
Drought Tolerance: Medium, High
Wet-Feet Tolerance: Low
Humidity Tolerance: Medium
Wind Tolerance: High
Poor Soil Tolerance: Rocky Soils, Sandy Soils, Clay Soils
Height: 0.75' - 1'
Width: 1' - 2'
Growth Rate: Slow, Medium
Service Life: Very Long: 10-20 years
Maintenance Need: Almost Zero Maintenance
Spreading Potential: Extremely Low
Yearly Trimming Tips: Trim Perennial to Ground in Early Winter After Hard Freezes: Some Winter Interest.
Plant Grouping Size: Medium Grouping of 5-10, Mass Planting of 10 or more
Best Side of House: South Exposure, West Exposure, East Exposure, North Exposure
Extreme Planting Locations: Survives Severe Drought, Tolerates Extreme Heat, Top of Retaining Wall Locations, Resistant to Rabbits
Ornamental Features: Long Blooming Season, Multiple Seasons of Interest
Special Landscape Uses: Groundcover
Possible Pest Problems: Foliage Disease
Plant Limitations: None
Blue Ice Amsonia (Amsonia 'Blue Ice') is a chance seedling from A. tabernaemontana which is native to North America. It bears gorgeous deep blue buds in late spring opening to vivid a periwinkle blue for about 4-6 weeks. The bright green foliage is compact and mostly pest-free. However in some years with high humidity and extra summer rainfall, the foliage gets diseased and should be cut back early. If in good air circulation, the foliage often turns a rich shade of yellow in fall characteristic of most amsonias. In Kansas Landscapes, it is usually planted as a mass groundcover growing into a dense weed proof mass. Established plants are low maintenance and almost never need to be replaced, divided or watered.