Liatris species can be used for prairie restoration and landscaping, roadside plantings and wildlife food and habitat. Their attractive purple flowers, which provide forage for many bee and butterfly species, makes them ideal for regional wildflower and pollinator gardens.

 

Native Regions

Throughout the United States and Canada, east of the Rockies

 

Availability

Routinely available

 

Duration

Perennial

 

Bloom Time

Summer, fall

 

Average Height

4 feet

 

Flower Color

Purple

Lavender

Pink

White

 

Exposure

Full sun

 

Water Requirements

Average to dry

 

Recommended Species

Liatris pycnostachya (prairie blazing star), as its name suggests, is native to prairies and rocky, open areas. It is a showy, routinely available species, its wands of rose-lavender blossoms being a magnet for many native bee and butterfly species. It is a favorite of long-tongued bumble bees. It is one of the few Liatris species that can tolerate moist soils, typical of garden settings.

 

Liatris aspera (tall blazing star, rough blazing star) is a highly drought-tolerant species, found as a native plant in dry plains, prairies and thin woods. It is commercially available for use in gardens, producing wands of pink or purple flowers in late summer that attract a variety of pollinators, including short-tongued bumble bees.