Meadow Blazing-star

Liatris ligulistylis

Family:

Aster family - Asteraceae

A late bloomer, the brilliant flowerstalks bloom from the top down and are a favorite with insects and birds.

Grass-like meadow blazing-star seedlings growing in a pot outdoors

Meadow-blazing star seeds and seed heads on a yellow background

A single purple meadow-blazing-star flower close-up

A single meadow blazing-star stalk going to seed in a meadow

Three spikes of purple meadow blazing-star coming into flower on a sandy prairie

Hand holding a second season meadow blazing-star corm with thirteen centimetre long dense roots

Small green seedlings emerging from sandy soil

Rain garden

Pollinator garden

Late season star

Deer resistant

Details

Emerges

Seed collection

Flowers

July, August

Pink

Purple

September

Height

Lifecycle

Perennial

Width

Habit

Forbs

Upright

Herbaceous

Ecology

Supports

Songbirds

Butterflies & Moths

Providing

Nectar source

Seed/Berry source

Tall spires of purple flowers in July and August. Its flower spikes are covered with purple petals that first appear at the top then work their way down.

Habitat

Typically found in

prairie

In the Garden

Growing Conditions

Moisture

Average

Light

Full sun

Soil

Average garden soil, Gravel, Loam, Rocky, Sand

Propagation

Via

Seeds

Sowing Recommendations

Sow seeds in pot

Spring planting

High or easy germination

Landscape

Use for:

Middle of bed

Naturalization

Growing Tips

If you are starting from seed, they germinate promptly within 7-14 days if given bottom heat around 21 degrees. The first year the plant looks like one small blade of grass - be careful not to weed them out.

Description

Meadow Blazing Star is the ultimate nectar plant for butterflies. Other pollinators will visit as well, along with hummingbirds. It lends a vertical accent to perennial borders. Songbirds, such as goldfinches, will eat the seeds.