I'm in zone 3. This plant flowers early summer, I believe! Bluish flowers....

It's been stuffed near a techny arborvite and needs to find a better home.

I'm presuming part shade but would like to know for sure!

to ATP!
I'm just guessing but would it look like these?http://garden.org/plants/group/platycodon/

Looks like Platycodon to me too, looks a lot like asparagus when it starts emerging. Do the flowers look familiar? The buds are very distinct, inspiring the common name balloon flower. Probably would need full sun in Z3, that's where I put them in central OH, Z5.

My first thought was Asparagus Fern (Asparagus densiflorus 'Sprengeri') They are invasive here in my part of Florida and it's very hard to dig them out so the ones I can't get out I always cut back as far as possible to the ground and that photo looked a lot like when they re-sprout .... but when I enlarged and looked closer at your photo it does look more like emerging Balloon Flower - Platycodon: http://garden.org/plants/brows... but as soon as you get a little more growth you should know for sure.

It also reminds me of Amsonia.
http://garden.org/search/index...

Hmmm.... It might be the Astra Double Blue. The flowers are upright but clustered, I think/thought...

Thanks for your responses!

Well, indeed it does look like the amonsia, blue star blue ice!

However, that is zone 9 and flowers in fall. Mine flowers in summer and I'm zone 4.

Most Amsonia bloom in spring or early summer and are very hardy perennials. If you are reading about "good fall color" they are referring to the foliage which turns golden in many species in fall. Does it set long, skinny, gray seed pods in the late summer?

I don't recall what the seeds like like but THANKS explaining that it is a perennial.

I do believe it is amonsia! So, sun or shade?

Generally, Amsonia will take full sun to part shade. Fall foliage color will be better with full sun. In hot areas, the flowers can last longer with some afternoon shade but intense heat and sun seems unlikely if you are in Zone 3. Too much shade can make the plants flop and sprawl. I don't know your specific conditions or area but it sounds like you are pretty far north so full sun to part sun might be best.

Oh, a note about transplanting...
Amsonias have a deep, woody root system and can be hard to transplant. Even though it is a perennial, treat it like you were moving a shrub and be prepared to dig a large and deep root ball.

I have to say, that even the dry stalks look like platycodon, but I think platycodon is unlikely. The crown in this genus is well below the surface of the soil, which means that sprouts, when they reach the surface, are vertical, not spreading.

Platycodon grandiflorus Hakone White


Platycodon grandiflorus double form

Thanks for helping identify it as an Amsonia.

Great group!