Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)
[lee-AY-tris spih-KAY-tah]
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Deciduous Perennial Upright in the Asteraceae Family
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Available May 9
Size |
Notes |
Price |
Availability |
#1 gallon |
FIELD
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$13.68 |
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38 Flat |
FIELD
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$103.66 |
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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.
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Pros
- Attract pollinators
- Late season blooms
- Highly adaptable
- Native to Illinois
- Make great cut or dried flowers
- Thrive in full sun to part shade
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Cons
- Need to be divided every few years to promote the most blooms
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Plant Data |
Mature Size |
24 - 48 inches
tall. 12 - 24 inches
wide.
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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.
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Zones |
3a - 10b
(Usually hardy to -40° F)
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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
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Bloom Period |
July to August
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Flower Color |
Pink -Purple
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Most Popular Plants |
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More Info from Experts |
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Commonly Planted with...
Aster, Big bluestem, Echinacea, Helenium, Rudbeckia
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