Seventh Inning Stretch Blue Star (Amsonia illustris 'Seventh Inning Stretch')
am-SO-nee-ah illustris 'Seventh Inning Stretch'
Deciduous Perennial Upright in the Apocynaceae Family
Buy Seventh Inning Stretch Blue Star
Size
Notes
Price
Availability
An Ozark bluestar selected at the Chicago Botanic Garden for heavy bloom and a sturdy, upright habit.
'Seventh Inning Stretch' was selected from Chicago Botanic Garden's Amsonia trial for combining heavy, prolific spring flowering with a sturdy, upright habit that resists flopping - an improvement in structure and floral display over the straight species rather than a foliage or size selection. It carries the glossy, willow-like, disease-resistant foliage typical of Amsonia illustris, growing 30-40" tall and spreading 4-5ft wide, with blue star-shaped flowers in May-June. Fall color is present but less vivid than genus-mates like A. hubrichtii.
Pros
Heavy, prolific spring bloom
Sturdy, upright habit that resists flopping
Glossy, disease-resistant foliage all season
Deer resistant
Cons
Large mature spread (4-5ft wide) needs room
Fall color less vivid than some genus-mates
Slow to establish, single spring bloom only
Plant Data
Mature Size
30 - 40 inches
tall.
Sun Exposure
Full Sun - 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, 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, 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
We try very hard to source exactly what you’d like, but sometimes growers run out of plants! While this variety is a great deal at the price shown, we know that it has limited availability. If you want the plant even if it might be more expensive, or in a different size or quantity -- after you place your order, just send us a quick note at help@northshoreplantclub.com. Then, we’ll try to get you some version of this from one of our growers. And if we can’t get it from anywhere, of course, we’ll send a refund!
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
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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!