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Amsonia Blue Star and October heat!

16 years ago

Two reasons for posting. First, I am in the process of harvesting a ton of Amsonia Blue Star. For those of you not familiar with this plant - it's awesome! You get the light blooms in the early spring and then the foliage stays nice all summer. The leaves resemble willow leaves and look nice in between gaudy bloomers. In the late summer/fall, they create long walrus like bean pods with cool brown rod-like seeds. The foliage turns with the trees, so it's very fall festive. The seeds are fun to harvest. I have them for SASBE. They winter sow beautifully and germinate darn near 100%. It's a good plant to winter sow and then give some away in swaps etc.

Next - it's October! We are going to have another DRY weekend of temps near 90!!!!! ARUGH!!!!!!! I live in Columbus, Ohio - what gives?

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Comments (6)

kqcrna
16 years ago
Same weather here, Bakemom. No rain either. BUT our highs are supposed to be between 90 and 93 until Mon, 78 Tues, and 64 on Wed. No wonder the plants are confused, we are too. Only a 30% chance of rain Tuesday.

I moved a few perennials last weekend- big mistake. The burgundy gaillardia looks pretty bad.

Karen
clumsygrdner
16 years ago
*gasp* :o

I've heard of Amsonia and actually looked for it in the garden centers this spring without luck. I'll be sure to send a SASBE!! *happy-happy*

It's hot here to. My thermometer read 95 on the back porch at one point. Reflective heat I think. Relief is on the way they say. I hope it lasts.
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Ann
16 years ago
I'd love some of your Amsonia. I'll email you too about a SASBE. Thanks, Ann
lindakimy
16 years ago
I wintersowed some last winter and have managed to keep ONE wisp alive over the summer. The foliage is still hanging in there - but never did bloom. I don't see any seed pods of course. What do you supposed I'm doing wrong?
dawiff
16 years ago
Bakemom, I'd love some of your Amsonia Blue Star! I'll get an SASBE out to you ASAP, in fact, I may pop it into the BIG envie I'm putting together for the newbie project.

Did I also see you offering melampodium seeds on another thread? I did get some from pvick (thanks, pvick!) but it couldn't hurt to get more from another source, given the trouble you had getting it to germinate.

Alison
stage_rat
16 years ago
I thought amsonia was so cool when I wintersowed it last year. That was one of those "faith" sowings; the seeds look like little twigs! But sure enough, a rootlet grew out of each one--I think I had 100% germination. I guess I surface-sowed. Mine didn't bloom this year either, but I never really expect that with perennials.

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