Liatris scariosa, Blazing Star, Quart pot

Liatris scariosa, Blazing Star

FS-PS, Zone 3, blooms August-September, 2’ x 1’, medium to dry, tolerant of poor rocky soils, deer resistant.

This lovely pollinator plant does well in most soils. Its foliage is beautiful! Useful for difficult dry shade conditions, it’s a clump-forming perennial which produces a profusion of upward-facing, saucer-shaped, pale lilac-pink flowers, adorned with asummer to early fall, rosy purple spikey flowers arise. Plants are tough and drought-tolerant, prospering in sunny sites with average to dry soils. The flower columns open from the top down. Plants may be attractive to deer and rabbits when the foliage is young, so keep protected until established. Liatris aspera, a close relative, is almost identical and tolerates severe droughts and is slightly taller.

Attracts a wide variety of native bees, honey bees, and butterflies. Monarch butterflies and bumble bees find its late-season and long-lasting nectar very attractive. We suggest planting a few of them together to attract pollinating insects. Birds like the seeds! Plant for the Monarchs!