Liatris pycnostachya
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Tried and True Recommended by 6 Professionals
Species Native to Missouri
Common Name: prairie blazing star
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Asteraceae
Zone: 3 to 9
Native Range: Central and southeastern United States
Garden Location: Kemper Low Maintenance Garden, Lucy and Stanley Lopata Prairie Garden
Height: 2 to 5 feet
Spread: 1 to 2 feet
Bloom Time: July to August
Bloom Color: Purple, Lavender
Bloom Description: Lilac-purple
Sun: Full sun
Water: Dry to medium
Maintenance: Low
Flowers: Showy Flowers
Wildlife: Attracts Birds, Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Butterflies
Tolerates: Clay Soil, Dry Soil, Drought
Uses: Cut Flower, Rain Garden

Culture

Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerant of poor soils, drought, summer heat and humidity. Intolerant of wet soils in winter. Sometimes treated as a biennial.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Prairie blazing star is perhaps the tallest Liatris species in cultivation, typically growing 2-4' tall (infrequently to 5'). It is an upright, clump-forming, Missouri native perennial which commonly occurs in prairies, open woods, meadows and along railroad tracks and roads. Features rounded, fluffy, deep rose-purple flower heads (each to 3/4" across) which are crowded into terminal spikes (to 20" long) atop thickly-leafed, rigid flower stalks. Stalks arise from basal tufts of narrow, lance-shaped leaves (to 12" long). Flowers generally open top to bottom on the spikes. Blooms in summer. Liatris belongs to the aster family, with each flower head having only fluffy disk flowers (resembling "blazing stars") and no rays. Pycnostachya means "crowded" in Greek, in probable reference to the arrangement of both flower heads and leaves. This species is distinguished from other Liatris species by its reflexed, long-tipped involucral bracts.

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems. Flower spikes usually will need staking.

Garden Uses

Perennial borders, cutting gardens, wild gardens, native plant gardens, naturalized areas, prairies or meadows. Some consider this species almost too tall (and somewhat unmanageable) for the border.

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