Amsonia ciliata (Bluestar)

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Amsonia ciliata Walter

Bluestar, fringed bluestar, blue funnel lily, Texas bluestar

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Asteridae	A large class that encompasses asters
Order	Gentianales	Gentians, coffee, gardenias, frangipani, many others
Family	Apocynaceae	Dogbane family
Genus	Amsonia	Bluestars; named for botanist Charles Amson
Species	ciliata	Slight fringing, like an eyelash, for the fringe of hairs found on new leaves and plant stems

About plant names...

This species is a North American native.

Identification: Plants are 15-24" (38-60 cm) tall, with stems that have sparse short hairs. Leaves are attached directly to the stem (no petiole), and are very narrow, about ⅛" (3.2 mm) × 2" (5 cm). They resemble a blade of grass, with a prominent central vein, but the leaf on either side of the vein is rippled, almost leather-like in appearance. Pale blue five-petaled flowers with sharp tips, each about ½" (1.3 cm) around, form a rounded cluster that may be loose or dense. They appear from April to May.

Online References:

Discover Life

Forestry Images

Missouriplants.com (Amsonia ciliata var. filifolia)

The New England Wild Flower Society

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Flickr

Amsonia ciliata description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.

5/15/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts
≈ 6 × 4" (15 × 10 cm)

5/15/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts
≈ 4½ × 7" (11 × 17 cm)

Range: Zones 5-9:

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