Ozark Bluestar

About Ozark Bluestar

Ozark Bluestar is a structural powerhouse that brings elegance and multi-season interest to the native garden. This clump-forming perennial is prized for its leathery, willow-like foliage that stays a deep, lustrous green throughout the summer before turning a brilliant, glowing gold in the fall. In late spring, it is topped with clusters of star-shaped, pale blue flowers that provide a soft, ethereal look. Native to the gravel bars and stream banks of the Ozark region and surrounding states, it is more robust and moisture-tolerant than many other Bluestar species. It typically grows 2 to 3 feet tall and maintains a neat, vase-like shape that never needs staking. The flowers are a favorite of long-tongued bees and butterflies, while the bitter sap makes the foliage virtually deer and rabbit proof. Ozark Bluestar thrives in full sun to partial shade and prefers moist, well-drained soils, though it is surprisingly adaptable to heavy clay and temporary dry spells once established.