Amsonia illustris
Willow amsonia
- Height × spread
- 1.2m × 0.5m
- Position
- Full sun
- Hardiness
- Colder than -20C (RHS H7)
- Flowers
- Summer, Autumn
Availability
Please ask in store about availability
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
This stands a little over a metre in height and makes an imposing clump of shiny foliage. The flowers, seated at the stem tops are coloured a soft, slightly greyed blue. They are individually rather spiky looking with long slender petals. In a cluster they have a somewhat elusive and intriguing character. The leaves are long, slender and tapering with a pale midrib. They are, as the name suggests, willow-like in character. They are summer flowering, blooming in June and going into July. These are happy in plenty of moisture at a stream edge, or can take moisture rich garden soils. In sunnier positions they need more moisture to thrive. In autumn the leaves turn a light burnished brown before leaf fall.
- Flower colour
- Blue
- Foliage colour
- Green
- Autumn foliage
- Brown-burnished
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- No
- Shape
- Cube
- Height
- 1.2m
- Spread
- 0.5m
- Season of interest
- Summer, Autumn
- Flowers in
- Summer, Autumn
- Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Garden style
- Wild flower meadow, Small scale garden, Prairie garden
- Sun or shade
- Likes full sun, likes part shade, tolerates light shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Loam (normal)
- Soil pH
- All types
- Drainage
- Moisture retentive soil, Damp and wet soil, Well drained soil, Dry soil, Drought resistant
- Hardiness
- Colder than -20C (RHS H7)
- Borders & containers
- Borders
- Hazards
- No
Spring
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Water during drought
After three or four weeks without rain, except for drought tolerant plants, those in the ground often get stressed. Adopt the habit of deep-watering one section of the garden each day. Check plants in pots more frequently, especially in hot weather.
Encourage plants to develop good root systems by giving occasional deep watering. Some plants, such as conifers and heathers, do not show much sign of distress so water these if in doubt.
Spring - early-mid · Planting
Divide when too large
The plant can be divided if it becomes too large or another plant is required. This may involve physically dividing the clump in two, removing offsets or small bulbs or dividing rhizomes. The new plants can be grown in pots or planted in the ground.
Summer
Summer - early · Outdoors
Feed a general fertiliser
Where plants have moderate needs for nutrients, they can simply be given a general feed, fairly early in the growth season so that the growth has plenty of time to harden off before the cold weather.
Give plants a general boost with the application of a general purpose fertiliser which is spread around the root area of the plant, with amounts as directed on the feed label.