Liatris

( lye - AY - triss )

At-A-Glance Information

Commonly referred to as Gayfeather or Blazing Star, this species of perennial flowering plants sprout from corms, and need full sun and regular water. the flowers will attract butterflies to your garden. They are native to eastern and central North America, and form tufts of grass-like leaves; they reach up to 4 feet tall and 1.5 feet wide. Flowers are small and light purple, with protruding stamens. These plants can endure a variety of conditions, including heat, cold, aridity, and poor soil, though during winter dormancy does need to be provided with some nutrients. 

Liatris species and Varietals

The genus Liatris is a member of the plant family Asteraceae and includes about 50 species. Gayfeather grows best in zones A2, A3, 1-10 and 14-24. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Liatris acidota (Gulf Coast Gayfeather, Sharp Blazing Star, Sharp Gayfeather)
This species is found in Louisiana and Texas, and grows well in coastal prairies and dry savannahs. These plants prefer sandy to lightly clay soils. Stems are hairless and hold spikes of purple flowers that bloom from June through October. Plants top out around 35 inches tall at maturity when in bloom.

Liatris aspera (Rough Blazing Star, Button Blazing Star, Lacerate Blazing Star, Tall Prairie Blazing Star, Tall Gayfeather)
This species is native to central and eastern areas of North America, and form a single, erect unbranched flowering stem that reaches up to 6 feet tall. Flowers are purple to dark lavender in color, and bloom from the middle of August through October. Seeds mature in October and November.

Liatris elegans (Pinkscale Gayfeather, Pinkscale Blazingstar, Elegant Blazingstar)
This species is native to the southeastern United States, and grows from corm. Upright growing stems usually have hairs, and flowers can range in color from pink and purple to yellow and white. These plants prefer to grow in dry, sandy soils and in prairie and pineland landscapes.

Liatris lingulisylis (Rocky Mountain Blazing Star, Northern Plains Blazing Star, Meadow Blazing Star)
These plants are native to central North America, and produce a basal rosette of leaves from which flowering stems appear. Each stem holds between 4 and 21 pink to purple flowers in 
Liatris spicata (Dense Blazing Star, Prairie Feather, Gayfeather, Button Snakeroot)
​Native to moist prairies and meadows, these plants typically grow in eastern North America, and produce tall spikes of purple flowers. This species is popularly cultivated as a garden ornamental, and flower color varies somewhat depending on the cultivar grown.
'Alba'
​With white flowers to 18 inches tall.
'Callilepsis'
Purple flowers on especially long stems; ideal for cut flowers.
'Blazing Stars' Series
Flowers in this series come in purple and white.
'Floristan White'
30 inches tall with white flowers.
'Kobold'
​Reaches 2 feet tall and has bright rosey-lilac flowers.
'September Glory'
Blooms from August to September to 4-feet tall.

Caring for Liatris

Liatris, or Blazing Star, is typically planted as corms in springtime after the last frost date has passed by. They can also sometimes be found as starts from reputable nurseries. Corms should be spaced between 6 and 8 inches apart for best coverage and airflow, and set 2-4 inches deep in the soil. Choose a space in the garden that receives between 6 and 8 hours of direct sun each day. The more sun these plants get, the better they will perform overall. Soil should be well-draining, lightly fertile, and have a pH of between 6.0 and 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral). If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients, are heavy clay or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Water newly planted Liatris corms thoroughly after planting, and then withhold water until above-ground stalks sprout. Once plants are in their active growing and blooming season, provide regular waterings (about once a week). As a general rule of thumb, irrigate whenever the top inch or two of soil feels dry to the touch. These plants can survive periods of drought relatively well.

These plants do not need fertilizing once they are in the ground, and will perform better in somewhat thin soil. If they are situated in overly fertile soil, they tend to get floppy and flowering stalks will not stand upright on their own. Prune plants to remove spent blooms (if you will not be collecting seeds for propagation), and trim off any damaged, diseased, or dying foliage. Sometimes, gardeners will leave Liatris seed heads on plants to provide a naturalistic feel to gardens. Clumps should only be divided when performance begins to decline, and should be done in springtime. For instructions on how to divide Liatris plants, see the Propagation section below.

Propagation

Liatris can be propagated either by division or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the division method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your Blazing Star, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Liatris by Seed
  1. Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
  2. Harvest your seeds. The seed heads on plants are pretty easy to spot, they're left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will continue to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
  3. In either late winter or early springtime, get your container prepared. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 2-6 weeks from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
  4. Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 65 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.

Propagating Liatris by Division
This type of propagation is relatively simple; you will need a clean shovel, mulch, fresh soil (any kind will do, though it does need to be well-draining), compost and pots (12 inch pots will do, and these are only necessary if you will be saving divided plants for transporting elsewhere). Division is best done in very early spring (after the plant has entered dormancy, but before it has begun its new spring growth), and needs to be done every few years regardless of whether you have the goal of propagating the plants for best performance. To propagate by division, follow these steps:
  1. Using a shovel, dig up your existing plant. Start from the outside and work your way in to avoid damaging the corm(s). Once you have worked it up out of the ground, lay it out.
  2. Start to tease apart the roots with your gloved fingers. Once the roots are untangled, separate your plant into segments, ensuring that each one has at least one thick corm section attached.
  3. Prepare your pot(s) or new planting site(s) with amended, well-draining soil. You can either bring in new soil or simply amend your existing soil with compost to complete this task. Then, plant your corms and water thoroughly.
  4. Apply a thick layer of mulch over the new planting to protect it from cold weather as it acclimates to its new home. Then, enjoy watching it sprout in the next growing season.
Liatris seed heads remain where flower spikes once bloomed, and hold many small seeds with feathery attachments.
Liatris seeds.

Problems and Pests

Liatris plants are typically resilient additions to the landscape, though they can have issues with the following pests and diseases in certain conditions:
  • Powdery Mildew
  • Leaf Spot
  • Rust
  • Stem Rot
  • Verticillium Wilt
For more information on these disease issues, consult the pages linked below:
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Gallery

Liatris flowers alongside bright red-orange Montbretia.
Some Liatris cultivars have white to cream-colored blooms.
Individual flowers are tassel-like and small, packed onto large spikes.
Liatris, Coneflower and Rudbeckia make a great pollinator pair-up.
This meadow landscape is graced by the tall spiked flower infloresences of Liatris.
Here, Liatris is planted in a border in front of a home alongside Gladiolus and various other ornamentals.
Liatris is famous for being an attractor for butterflies and other pollinators.
This front strip features Peonies and Liatris.
Purple-flowering Liatris stands out against a yellow backdrop in this garden.

Videos

A growing guide for these flowering plants.
Learn about these multi-use plants.
These plants are butterfly magnets in the garden.

Resources

Liatris
Liatris (Blazing Star)
How to Grow and Care for Liatris (Blazing Star)
Wikipedia: Liatris
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 410, Liatris spicata
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or photos you’d like to add to the gallery, please let me know by sending me a message using the button below!
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