Marketing Name: Blue Stars, Stars

Id-Code: AA 366
Family: Apocynaceae
Origin: Eastern USA westward to Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas
Special Features: Pale blue star-shaped flowers and lance-shaped willow-like leaves. Golden fall foliage
Colour: Pale blue star-shaped blossoms
Natural Flowering Period: May - July
Winter Hardiness Zones: Z4-9
Growth Habit: Upright and sturdy
Foliage: Narrow, willow-like leaves with beautiful golden fall color
Height with Flowers: 80 cm (32'')
Spacing between Plants: 80 cm (32'')
Soil Requirements: Well-drained soils, pH 5.8 - 6.8
Location: Full sun or partial shade
Use: Great for naturalizing or the middle of the border with Baptisia australis, Penstemon smallii and Salvia lyrata 'Purple Knockout'
Specialities: Very low maintenance, long-lived and deer resistant.
Also available as JELITTO GOLD NUGGET SEED^® (AG 366)

Cultural Tips:
Grams per 1000 Seeds: 14,286
Seeds per Gram: 70
Seeding Recommendation: 30 g / 1000 plants
Sowing Rate: 2-3 seeds per cell
Plug tray recommended size(s): 72, 128
Germination: These perennial seeds germinate very irregularly over a long period. Lower temperatures of less than +5°C [41°F] are very effective. Seed trays should not be discarded prematurely. Constant moisture must be maintained. Do not leave in direct sunlight.

Scheduling:
Best Sowing Dates: November - March
Sowing to Germination: 3 - 10 weeks
Germination to Transplant: 4 - 6 weeks
Transplanting to Salable Plant: 6 - 8 weeks
Cutting-Back at Transplanting: Cut-back once to keep more compact

Growing On:
Container Size(s): 1-2 plugs per 11/12 cm (4 1/2''); 2-3 plugs per 15 cm (6'')
Vernalization: There is no current research on vernalization but a prudent recommendation for any perennial would be 6-12 weeks (a few might need 15 weeks!) at an average daily temperature of 40°F (5°C). Exposure to cold may not be necessary for flowering but might improve quality.
Forcing: An obvious place to experiment - following vernalization - would be raising daytime temperatures to 60° - 65°F (15° - 17°C). Provide 16 hours of continuous lighting. During the short days of winter, provide a night interruption lighting of 4 hours between 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m.
Fertilization: Medium (150-200 ppm)