How to Grow Amsonia from Seeds

 

Actually the Amsonia plant is also known as bluestar and the plant is a delightful perennial plant that provides seasons of interest in the garden. In spring some of the varieties bear clusters of small, star-shaped, sky-blue flowers. Through the summer the amsonia plant becomes full and bushy. It is really very easy to get hooked on all that amsonia has to offer, and most gardeners who grow the plant usually find themselves wanting more. Is amsonia a cut flower? Continue reading to learn more about amsonia plant.

 

 Amsonia Propagation

Amsonia can be propagated by seed. How do you grow amsonia from seed? The amsonia seeds germination can be slow and irregular and not all the varieties of amsonia will produce replicas of the parent plant when propagated by seed. Like many other perennial plants, amsonia seeds actually require a cool period or stratification in order to germinate. In the wild the amsonia plants release seed in late summer and autumn. These seeds then go dormant in garden debris, mulch, or soil under a blanket of snow, with winter providing the ideal cool period. In late winter to early spring when the soil temperatures range steadily between thirty to forty degree Fahrenheit, the amsonia seeds germination begins. Mimicking this natural process will also help make the amsonia seeds propagation more successful. Plant the amsonia seeds in seed trays an inch (2.5 cm.) apart, lightly covering each of the amsonia seeds with loose potting mix. Chill planted seed trays for several weeks in temperatures of thirty to forty degree Fahrenheit. After stratifying the amsonia seeds for at least 3 weeks, you can slowly acclimate them to warmer temperatures. The amsonia seeds can take up to ten weeks to sprout and the young amsonia seedlings may not be ready for transplant for twenty weeks.