Wanting to step outside of the box(woods) and try some non-traditional hedges? ⁠ ⁠ Bruce Lockhart uses bluestar (Amsonia hubrichtii) to line the garden behind his home. This native perennial shoots up asparagus-like sprigs in early spring, followed by clusters of pale blue blossoms in late spring. In the summer, they appear bushy before turning different shades from flaxen to gold before dropping. ⁠ ⁠ Bluestars have many uses and attributes, says Sam Hoadley, manager of horticultural research at Mt. Cuba Center in Delaware. Mt. Cuba conducted a 10-year trial on Amsonia ad found its performance to be impressive, with hardiness from zones 5-9 and an astonishing deer deterrent. Only certain insects are attracted to this plant, like the snowberry clearwing moth and caterpillars. ⁠ ⁠ The Mt. Cuba study was focused on the following species and cultivars: Amsonia hubrichtii, A. tabernaemontana, A. ciliata, and A. illustris. Researchers have given all the blustars high grades for performance. ...