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Liatris spicata

 
Liatris spicata
blazing star; gayfeather
Common name blazing star; gayfeather
Family asteraceae
Life cycle perennial bulb
Flowers purple, mid-late summer
Size 3 ft
Light full sun
Cultural notes drought-tolerant. well-drained soil
From seed self-seeds in our garden
Seed ripensearly October

Upright-growing perennial that forms colonies by expanding its corms as well as seeding around - which is fine, because they look best massed together. The flowers, which open from the top of the spike and move downward, provide good color in July and early August, when the early flush of spring and summer flowers has faded. The upright faded flowerstalks stay interesting in fall, and provide food for the birds. The driveway bed (shown below) resembles a liatris lawn in mid-summer!

Liatris spicata
Full bloom mid-July
blazing star; gayfeather
Same view, late October

We left this plant behind in our Pennsylvania garden (and wish it well); we don't grow it in Houston.

Seed for this plant is included on my seed trade list

One or more images of this plant are included in my stock photo catalog

About my plant portraits
PlantLinks to other web pages about Liatris spicata


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