BOTANICAL NAME: Aristea ecklonii
COMMON NAME:  Blue stars

Blue flowers are always sought after in the garden, they somehow seem to be less abundant than all the other colours. Aristea ecklonii commonly known as blue stars belongs to the iris family and is always a sight to behold during the mornings when the plants are in bloom. Flowers close up in the afternoon. Useful clump-forming perennials for multiple uses in the garden. Natural distribution from Eastern Cape, through KZN and up into East Africa.

DESCRIPTION:
• Form dense clumps of sword-shaped leaves up to 60 cm tall
• Green leaves with a very thin white outer edge arranged in flat fan shapes
• Blue star-shaped flowers on stems above the foliage during spring and summer
• Bloom for 3 to 4 weeks at a time

CULTIVATION:
• Grow in moist or damp soil in grasslands, on forest margins and stream banks
• Easy to cultivate in a garden environment
• Prune back hard if plants become scraggly
• Can withstand periods of dry weather but need water to form flower buds
• Withstands moderate cold and frost

GARDEN USES:
• Used for mass plantings as a cover plant in large landscapes
• Good near ponds and water features
• Contrasting foliage effective in the landscape
• Good garden plant for any garden
• Companion plants – indigenous grasses, kniphofia, dierama, dietes

DISCLAIMER:  The information presented on this website is intended solely as a general guide. We neither endorse specific plant varieties over others nor claim expertise in stock performance. All information is believed to be accurate, based on private inquiries and experiences, and is provided in good faith. Blackwood’s, including its employees, disclaims any responsibility for harm, loss, cost, or damage arising from the use or reliance upon any information on this website, especially if any part of the information proves to be inaccurate or incomplete. Please note that the displayed photos are not representative of current stock but are used for illustrative purposes only.