Deno’s GardenMy Garden

Amsonia jonesii

Jones' Bluestar

Family ApocynaceaeGenus Amsonia

Pale blue-white star flowers with five narrow pointed lobes, in tight heads above blue-green oval leaves.
FlowerShalana Gray https://www.inaturalist.org/people/shalanaCC BY 4.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Habit
perennialPlants of the World Online
Habit
Perennial, Forb/herbPLANTS Database
Flower
BlueFlora of North America
Native range
Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, UtahGBIF Backbone Taxonomy

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS; Flora of North America — Flora of North America Editorial Committee; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Amsonia honors John Amson, a physician in colonial Virginia, and jonesii the mining engineer and scientist Marcus E. Jones, who first described the species. Despite the name Colorado desert bluestar, it grows around the upper Colorado River and not in the Colorado Desert. Wikipedia: Amsonia jonesii

This source reports three treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 26, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 10 days.

83% germination in 10 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Amsonia p. 19Public domain
Show the original text
Amsonia (Apocyanaceae). A. jonesii germ. 70L(3/5 on 10th d), 70D(none), 40-70D(5/6 on 10th d), and 4/5 in April in OT. The 40-70D treatment is best, and it is remarkable that either 3 m at 40 or light initiate germination.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Amsonia p. 19. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

  1. Sow outdoors and leave it

    Up in April.

No stated waiting before sowing.

80% germination.

This source doesn't state how long step 1 lasts.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Amsonia p. 19Public domain
Show the original text
Amsonia (Apocyanaceae). A. jonesii germ. 70L(3/5 on 10th d), 70D(none), 40-70D(5/6 on 10th d), and 4/5 in April in OT. The 40-70D treatment is best, and it is remarkable that either 3 m at 40 or light initiate germination.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Amsonia p. 19. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 26, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 10 days to germinate.

60% germination in 10 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Amsonia p. 19Public domain
Show the original text
Amsonia (Apocyanaceae). A. jonesii germ. 70L(3/5 on 10th d), 70D(none), 40-70D(5/6 on 10th d), and 4/5 in April in OT. The 40-70D treatment is best, and it is remarkable that either 3 m at 40 or light initiate germination.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Amsonia p. 19. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

Add to My Garden

View species page