Blue Ice Bluestar (Amsonia X ‘Blue Ice’): Plant Care and Growing Guide
The Blue Ice Bluestar, also called Amsonia X ‘Blue Ice’, is a popular perennial plant among gardeners. It has many names, including Willow Amsonia ‘Blue Ice’, Blue Dogbane ‘Blue Ice’, and Eastern Bluestar ‘Blue Ice’.
This perennial is known for being low maintenance and fast-growing. It can brighten your house or garden with its dark green leaves. However, it will only thrive if you learn how to take proper care of it.
This Blue Ice Bluestar Care Guide will cover all the necessary topics to achieve this goal. Ready? Let’s go!
Introduction: Blue Ice Bluestar
Blue Ice Bluestar (Amsonia x ‘Blue Ice’) is a lovely perennial. It has a compact shape and features clusters of deep blue, star-shaped flowers that bloom in spring. Its rich green foliage turns golden in fall, giving it three-season appeal. Unlike some taller Amsonia varieties, ‘Blue Ice’ stays tidy, making it ideal for small garden beds or borders.
Understanding how to care for this plant ensures it thrives year after year. With proper care, it offers gardeners easy beauty and strong pest and drought resistance.
Key Features of Blue Ice Bluestar
| Feature | Description |
| Height | 12–15 inches |
| Bloom Time | Spring (April–May) |
| Sun Requirements | Full sun to partial shade |
| Foliage Color | Green (summer) → Golden (fall) |
Whether you’re creating a pollinator garden or just want something that’s both tough and attractive, Blue Ice Bluestar is a winning choice.
And that’s practically it! If you keep these three factors in check, your Blue Ice Bluestar will likely have all it needs for it to survive and even thrive.
Scientific / Botanical Aspects
The Blue Ice Bluestar is part of the Apocynaceae family. Its genus is Amsonia, giving it the scientific name Amsonia X ‘Blue Ice’ (am-SO-nee-uh).
As with other Amsonia’s, the Blue Ice Bluestar is a herbaceous plant, which means it will die back to the ground every year.
Growing Region
You might be wondering why your Blue Ice Bluestar’s native region is important. If you know where your plant came from, you’ll understand its preferred conditions. This knowledge helps you replicate that environment at home.
The Amsonia X ‘Blue Ice’ thrives in heat zones 1 to 9. It also grows well in climate zones 2 through 24.
Growth and Size
Growth
In terms of size and growth, the Blue Ice Bluestar is a relatively fast grower, which makes things tricky for any plant enthusiast.
Size
But what exactly does this mean for your Blue Ice Bluestar? How large a pot should you consider? How tall and how wide can it get? Let’s jump in…
The Amsonia X ‘Blue Ice’ can grow up to 1′ – 2′ (30cm – 60cm) in 1′ – 2′ (30cm – 60cm) and 1′ – 2′ (30cm – 60cm) in 1′ – 2′ (30cm – 60cm).
The Blue Ice Bluestar is a medium-sized perennial. Keep these facts in mind when deciding where to place it in your home.
Expect it to grow in a lovely compact shape. Keep this in mind when planning your garden landscape.
Experts suggest leaving an area of about 18″–24″ (45 cm–60 cm) clear. This space allows the Blue Ice Bluestar to spread properly.
Water
In terms of watering, the Blue Ice Bluestar is a fairly simple plant to take care of.
This is mostly because it has a straightforward watering schedule and somewhat regular watering needs.
Most experts say that Amsonia X ‘Blue Ice’ likes regular watering every week. It needs even more water during hot weather.
Which is why it is considered a plant with relatively average needs in terms of water.
Watering
Keep your Blue Ice Bluestar in moist, well-draining soil. This helps your plant grow and thrive.
However, in our experience, the ‘thumb’ technique is the best solution for knowing the right amount of water for your Blue Ice Bluestar. Just stick your finger into the soil. If it feels moist, you don’t need to water it. The time has come to water your leafy friend if it’s dry. This is the best way to check.
Soil Mix
The Blue Ice Bluestar’s ideal soil potting mix is made out of clay, loam, chalk, and sand.
In addition to this, expert gardeners recommend having preferably alkaline, acid or neutral soil.
Light and Exposure
In terms of light & exposure, the Blue Ice Bluestar requires partial to full sun in order for it to thrive under the right conditions.
Most experts agree that this perennial will do well as long as you keep it in partial to full sun, and it will be able to grow properly.
We recommend placing your Amsonia X ‘Blue Ice’ in a location with little to partial shade, which means 2-6 hours of direct sunlight each day. You can also choose a spot with full sun, getting more than 6 hours of direct sunlight daily.
Season
Being a herbaceous plant, the Blue Ice Bluestar will die back to the ground every year.
But you can expect it to have its ‘prime time’ during the spring (late), the summer (early), and during the fall.
Flowers
In particular, this perennial is well known for its long bloom season and showy flowers around the plant enthusiast community.
The Blue Ice Bluestar produces some beautiful violet-blue, or blue and purple/lavender flowers around this time of year.
Foliage
The leaves from the Blue Ice Bluestar have a beautiful dark green color during most of the year.
Attracts, Tolerance, and Resistance
The Blue Ice Bluestar attracts butterflies. Keep this in mind when picking your plant. You might find butterflies in your garden!
Additionally, it has a special tolerance for clay soil and animals like deer, so don’t worry if any of these come along; your Amsonia X ‘Blue Ice’ will be fine.
Garden
How should you then organize your garden to include your new Blue Ice Bluestar? Here are some recommendations by expert gardeners.
Other owners consider that they complement well most gardens of informal and cottage styles.
The Blue Ice Bluestar thrives in garden beds and borders. In small gardens, it’s often used in containers, borders, or for mass planting.
Conclusion
We shared many care tips for your Blue Ice Bluestar. But remember the basics: sunlight, soil, and water. These are key to growing a healthy plant at home.
