THEODORE KLEIN PLANT AWARDS

Standout plants for the Bluegrass state and beyond

- MEGHAN SHINN

Above: 'Storm Cloud' eastern bluestar has sky-blue spring flowers that pop against its near-black stems and olive-green foliage.

A PROJECT OF THE KENTUCKY professional horticulture community, the Theodore Klein Plant Awards (TKPA) highlight trees, shrubs and perennials that thrive in Kentucky's wet, humid summers and moderately cold winters. Many of the winners perform well in the Midwest, Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, which share some commonalities of climate with this centrally located eastern state.

Dating back to 1999, the TKPA program also honors Theodore Klein (1905-1998), a key historical figure of the region's nursery industry. Yew Dell Botanical Gardens, which participates alongside nurseries, design firms and universities in choosing TKPA winners, occupies Klein's former home, garden and tree farm. In 2025, six plants joined the ranks of TKPA honorees. For the full list, see yewdellgardens.org/theodore-klein-plant-awards.

'STORM CLOUD' EASTERN BLUESTAR

Though Theodore Klein was best known as a woody plantsman, his namesake awards have expanded to include perennials. In 2025, a cultivar of Amsonia tabernaemontana made the grade. Known as eastern bluestar, this species is a three-foot, clumping perennial native to the Mid-Atlantic, lower Midwest and Southeast, where it grows in wet sites including open woods and sandy plains.

Left, top to bottom: June Snow blooms heavily in late spring, with large clusters of tiny white flowers punctuating its outstretched branches. This tree's leaves take on gorgeous fall color before dropping away to let its architecture shine through the winter.