Storm Cloud Blue Star (Amsonia tabernaemontana 'Storm Cloud')
am-SO-nee-ah tab-er-nay-mon-TAN-ah 'Storm Cloud'

Deciduous Perennial Upright, Clump-forming, Mounded in the Apocynaceae Family

'Storm Cloud' was jointly discovered and selected around 2011 by Hans Hansen (Walters Gardens) and Tony Avent (Plant Delights Nursery) from a wild population in a remote Alabama forest. Its signature trait is near-black stems that emerge in spring and, unlike other dark-stemmed selections, hold that dramatic coloration for an unusually long stretch of the season before fading toward green. Foliage itself is dark olive-green with silvery veins in spring, easing to green over summer and turning gold in fall. Periwinkle, star-shaped flowers open in late spring to early summer. It grows 24-30" tall and 38-42" wide, and was named the 2024 Proven Winners Landscape Perennial of the Year.

Pros

  • Near-black stems that hold their color unusually long
  • 2024 Proven Winners Landscape Perennial of the Year
  • Tolerates both dry and consistently wet sites once established
  • Deer resistant

Cons

  • Rust possible in humid conditions
  • Slow to establish, single spring bloom only
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 24 - 36 inches tall. 3 - 4 feet wide.
Growth Rate Moderate
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium
Zones 4a - 9b (Usually hardy to -30° F)
Tags Attracts Butterflies, Container, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Edging, Fall Color, Formal Garden, Full Sun, Good for Accents, Good for Beginners, Good for Borders, Good for Cottage Garden, Good for Mass Planting, Good for Rain Garden, Good for Rock Garden, Low Maintenance, Medium, Medium, Most Popular, Mounded, Nativar, Normal Soil, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Potentially Toxic, Prairie Garden, Rabbit Resistant, Showy Flowers, Thrillers, Tolerant of Clay Soil, Tolerant of Hot Dry Site, Tolerant of Moist Soil, Tolerant of Sandy Soil, Well-Drained Soil
Bloom Period May - June
Flower Color Periwinkle
Foliage Color Dark Green with Dark Stems
 

Awards
 

Rankings
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/03 - 10/04
2024 : 05/01 - 10/05
2023 : 03/02 - 09/30

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


Estimated Recipe Cost

The cost of this recipe's ingredients will vary depending on the season and the sizes and varieties you select.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!