Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)
[lee-AY-tris spih-KAY-tah]

Deciduous Perennial Upright in the Asteraceae Family
 
 
Available May 9
Size Notes Price Availability
#1 gallon FIELD $13.68
38 Flat FIELD $103.66
 
Blazing Star captivates with its striking spikes of vibrant purple flowers, attracting butterflies and pollinators to your garden! This resilient perennial thrives in sunny spots, adding a bold splash of color to any landscape.

Known as Dense Blazing Star (new superhero name, anyone?), Liatris spicata starts out each season as an unassuming grass-like mound of foliage… but by late summer, this humble plant sends out stunning spikes of brightly-colored flowers. Liatris can grow up to five feet tall in perfect conditions, so these colorful blooms make quite an impact in the late season garden.

An herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the sunflower and daisy family Asteraceae, it is native to eastern North America where it grows in moist prairies and sedge meadows.

Blazing Stars smell faintly of vanilla once dried and make great cut flowers. These plants are native to the moist edges of marshes and meadows of Illinois, and enjoy well-drained, regularly watered conditions but are highly adaptable about soil quality and heat and humidity. They begin to bloom just as most other plants start to fade for the season, so they’re a smart addition to keep the garden popping all season long.

Pros

  • Attract pollinators
  • Late season blooms
  • Highly adaptable
  • Native to Illinois
  • Make great cut or dried flowers
  • Thrive in full sun to part shade

Cons

  • Need to be divided every few years to promote the most blooms
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 24 - 48 inches tall. 12 - 24 inches wide.
Growth Rate Fast
Sun Exposure Full Sun - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium: The corms need no additional irrigation until stalks sprout. As the plants begin active growth, 1 inch of water a week during the hottest months will prevent stunted flowers and leaf scorch.
Zones 3a - 10b (Usually hardy to -40° F)
Tags Attracts Bees, Attracts Beneficial Insects, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Pollinators, Attracts Wildlife, Container, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Dry, Edging, Formal Garden, Full Sun, Full Sun, Good for Accents, Good for Beginners, Good for Borders, Good for Butterfly Garden, Good for Cottage Garden, Good for Cut Flowers, Good for Mass Planting, Illinois Native, Low Maintenance, Medium, Most Popular, Native to North America, Naturalizing, Normal Soil, Perennial, Prairie Garden, Rabbit Resistant, Showy Flowers, Tolerant of Clay Soil, Tolerant of Moist Soil, Tolerant of Sandy Soil, Well-Drained Soil Blue or Purple Flowering Perennials, Full Sun Perennials, Large Perennials, Summer Blooming Perennials
Bloom Period July to August
Flower Color Pink -Purple
 

Most Popular Plants
 

More Info from Experts

Commonly Planted with...

Aster, Big bluestem, Echinacea, Helenium, Rudbeckia
Want More photos of this plant? Try Google Image Search!
 


Pricing and Availability History

Click a label to toggle visibility for that size


© North Shore Plant Club 2025. Privacy Policy, Terms & Conditions.

Limited Availability

We try very hard to source exactly what you’d like, but sometimes growers run out of plants! While this variety is a great deal at the price shown, we know that it has limited availability. If you want the plant even if it might be more expensive, or in a different size or quantity -- after you place your order, just send us a quick note at help@northshoreplantclub.com. Then, we’ll try to get you some version of this from one of our growers. And if we can’t get it from anywhere, of course, we’ll send a refund!


Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


Benefits of Membership

Want a better way to get great plants and make your yard look awesome? Create your account below and get:

  • The best plants… from the same sources the pros use, but at near wholesale prices
  • More plants in more sizes than anywhere else… whether you’re looking for classics or rarities; annuals, perennials or shrubs; one plant or a whole yardful!
  • "No Contact" delivery or easy pick-up at a site near you without fighting the retail crowds. You choose!

Membership is free, but — since we rely on delivery and local pick-up — you have to live near one of our hubs (or be willing to drive to a site to pick them up). If you live farther away, and would like to help us bring the club to your neighbors, please email helpusgrow@northshoreplantclub.com.

Already a member?

Login

No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!