Blazing Star (Liatris spicata) in the Gayfeathers Database

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Herb/Forb
Life cycle:	Perennial
Sun Requirements:	Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences:	Wet Wet Mesic Mesic
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 3 -40 °C (-40 °F) to -37.2 °C (-35)
Plant Height:	24 - 48 inches
Plant Spread:	12 - 18 inches
Fruit:	Edible to birds
Flowers:	Showy
Flower Color:	Purple
Flower Time:	Late summer or early fall Fall
Underground structures:	Corm
Uses:	Cut Flower Will Naturalize
Wildlife Attractant:	Bees Birds Butterflies Hummingbirds
Toxicity:	Roots are poisonous
Propagation: Seeds:	Stratify seeds: 2 months at 40 degrees Suitable for wintersowing Can handle transplanting
Propagation: Other methods:	Division
Pollinators:	Bees

Common names

Blazing Star
Gayfeather
Dense blazing star
Marsh blazing star
Dense gayfeather
Button Snakewort
Button Snakeroot
Prairie Gayfeather

Photo Gallery

Location: Woodbridge , Va
Date: 2019-07-07

Uploaded by krobra

Location: montana grandiflora garden
Date: 2014-07-22
The clematis montana can be seen in the background.

Uploaded by pirl

Location: IL
Date: 2014-07-19
#Pollination Snowberry Clearwing Moth (Hemaris diffinis) on Liatr

Uploaded by molanic

Location: in a private garden in Oklahoma City
Date: 2003-06-16
Liatris spicata [Kansas Gayfeather]

Uploaded by jathton

Location: My garden, Grapevine, TX
Date: May 2017

Uploaded by Altheabyanothername

Location: IL
Date: 2016-07-16
#Pollination Two Eastern Carpenter Bees (Xylocopa virginica)

Uploaded by molanic

Location: Switzerland, in my garden
Date: 2016-07-21
#Pollination

Uploaded by sunnyvalley

Uploaded by vbprog

Location: Fairfax, VA | July, 2022
Date: 2022-07-05
Cyanotype

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: my garden in Dawsonville, GA (zone 7b north Geogia mountains)
Date: 2022-06-24

Uploaded by LoriMT

Location: my Zone 7b garden in North Georgia Mountains
Date: 2023-03-13

Uploaded by LoriMT

Location: my garden in Dawsonville, GA (zone 7b north Geogia mountains)
Date: 2016-06-27

Uploaded by LoriMT

Location: my garden in Dawsonville, GA
Date: 2021-06-21

Uploaded by LoriMT

Uploaded by lauribob

Location: Indiana zone 5
Date: 2015-06-28

Uploaded by gardengus

Uploaded by SoCalGardenNut

Location: Northern Illinois (Zone 5a)
Date: 2014-07-26

Uploaded by Lyshack

Location: In my zone 8 garden
Date: 2011-05-29

Uploaded by sarahbugw

Location: My garden in Belgium
Date: 2011-08-06

Uploaded by JonnaSudenius

Location: Fairfax, VA | July, 2022
Date: 2022-07-03

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Southern Pines, NC (Boyd House garden)
Date: June 16, 2022
Blazing Star #230; RAB p. 1183, 179-30-1; LHB p. 1023, 194-86-4;

Uploaded by WebTucker

Uploaded by WebTucker

Uploaded by Versicolor

Uploaded by WebTucker

Uploaded by molanic

Uploaded by pitimpinai

Uploaded by cocoajuno

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2018-07-25
#pollination Moth is named the Astroide

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by pepper23

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2018-08-28

Uploaded by jmorth

Date: 2020-03-26
7/8 in tall grown from seed indoors

Uploaded by jsf67

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2004-08-07

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by bloominholes2fill

Uploaded by aikenforflowers

Location: The Park
Date: 2014-05-15
Day of planting in The Park at each front corner, full sun.

Uploaded by pirl

Location: montana grandiflora garden
Date: 2014-07-22

Uploaded by pirl

Uploaded by pirl

Uploaded by DianeSeeds

Uploaded by gardengus

Date: 2019-04-23
First growth from purchased corms

Uploaded by jsf67

Date: 2017-07-13
One corm, first year plant...I love it!!!

Uploaded by cocoajuno

Location: Apple Valley MN
Date: 2018-05-18

Uploaded by crawgarden

Uploaded by admin

Uploaded by pitimpinai

Uploaded by vic

Uploaded by 4susiesjoy

Uploaded by Calif_Sue

Location: montana grandiflora garden
Date: 2013-04-27

Uploaded by pirl

Uploaded by pirl

Uploaded by vic

Uploaded by jmcwhorrter

Location: Quad Cities Botanical Garden - Rock Island, Il.
Date: 2011-07-02

Uploaded by jmorth

Date: 2019-05-27
35 corms 5 in spacing about 8 weeks after planting (with less sun

Uploaded by jsf67

Uploaded by robertduval14

Uploaded by robertduval14

Location: Lutz, FL
Date: 2016-05-22
Literally pushing its way up through the ground.

Uploaded by mellielong

Uploaded by cocoajuno

Location: Lutz, FL
Date: 2016-07-01
Buds have turned from green to purple.

Uploaded by mellielong

Uploaded by Patty

Location: montana grandiflora garden
Date: 2014-10-07

Uploaded by pirl

Location: My garden in Kalama, Wa. Zone 8
Date: 2014-07-18

Uploaded by Joy

Location: Woodbridge , Va
Date: 2017-06-14

Uploaded by krobra

Location: Kamloops, BC, Canada
Date: 2010-07-18

Uploaded by Gilli

Photo Courtesy of Prairie Nursery. Used with Permission

Uploaded by Joy

Uploaded by Patty

Location: Lutz, FL
Date: 2016-05-18
Popped right up after a rainy day.

Uploaded by mellielong

Location: Central Kansas (Zone 6b)
Date: 2016-08-06

Uploaded by StaticAsh

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2018-04-28

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: montana grandiflora garden
Date: 2011-0721
Garden setting

Uploaded by pirl

Uploaded by pirl

Uploaded by pirl

Location: zone 8 Lake City, Fl.
Date: 2013-06-09

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Location: Twisp
Getting close to bloom time

Uploaded by lauribob

Location: My garden in Belgium
Date: 2009-08-25

Uploaded by JonnaSudenius

Location: Massab Acres, Taylor, MI
Date: 2010-07-10

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by DaylilySLP

Uploaded by admin

Uploaded by duane456

Uploaded by robertduval14

Location: Central Kansas (Zone 6b)
Date: 2015-05-11

Uploaded by StaticAsh

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2018-05-15

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by admin

Location: zone 8/9 Lake City, Fl.
Date: 2011-10-20
along the roadside

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Location: zone 8/9 Lake City, Fl.
Date: 2011-10-20
growing in the wild

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Location: western Oregon
Date: 2015-12-26

Uploaded by duane456

Location: zone 8 Lake City, Fl.
Date: 2013-07-11

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2008-07-22

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2008-07-18

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 7-18-07
w/ 4 o'clocks

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: zone 8 Lake City, Fl.
Date: 2013-04-24
Just emerging from the ground from corms.

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Location: Central Kansas (Zone 6b)
Date: 2016-07-14

Uploaded by StaticAsh

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2015-05-07

Uploaded by jmorth

Uploaded by StaticAsh

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2008-07-13

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2008-07-12

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: Hood, Alabama
Date: 2023-07-03

Uploaded by HoodLily

Uploaded by robertduval14

Location: Museum of Toulouse
credit: Roger Culos

Uploaded by robertduval14

Uploaded by kchd

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Location: zone 8 Lake City, Fl.
Date: 2013-07-27

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Location: zone 8 Lake City, Fl.
Date: 2013-05-31

Uploaded by flaflwrgrl

Location: Hidden Hills CA
Date: 2013-04-21

Uploaded by OldGardener

Location: Tennessee
Courtesy Sunlight Gardens, www.sunlightgardens.com

Uploaded by SongofJoy

Location: Central Kansas (Zone 6b)
Date: 2016-07-26

Uploaded by StaticAsh

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2018-06-09

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: 2011-07-05

Uploaded by jmorth

There are 2 more images of this plant. Click to view them.

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Comments:

Posted by mmolyson (Lilburn, GA - Zone 7b) on Nov 1, 2020 6:28 PM concerning plant:

According to research published by Chicago Bot Garden (https://www.chicagobotanic.org...) this species of Liatris and several others are self-incompatible. You need at least two plants blooming at the same time plants to collect any good seed, and at that, there will still be many infertile seeds. When saving seeds remember that the seed coat is produced even when a fertilized embryo is not present, so seeds may look "normal". To check a seed see if it bends in your fingers, if it does it is empty. Good seed should be solid and not bend once dried.

Reply to this comment
Posted by Catmint20906 (PNW WA half hour south of Olympia - Zone 8a) on Aug 2, 2014 8:27 PM concerning plant:

Liatris spicata is a Monarch Way Station plant, serving as a nectar source for Monarchs and other butterflies.

According to NPIN, this plant has special value to native & bumble bees.

Reply to this comment

Plant Events from our members
Catmint20906	On July 3, 2015	Bloomed
christine2	On May 1, 2008	Obtained plant 5
lovesblooms	On March 1, 2020	Seeds sown winter sow
lovesblooms	On March 3, 2018	Seeds sown winter sown
MrsBinWY	On May 18, 2019	Potted up 13 pots
MrsBinWY	On February 9, 2019	Seeds germinated 1
MrsBinWY	On January 27, 2019	Seeds sown 25 seeds from 2018G in milk jug @ room temp
antsinmypants	On April 15, 2021	Plant emerged
antsinmypants	On December 27, 2020	Seeds sown WS - Jug 11
dnrevel	From January 11, 2021 to January 10, 2021	Seeds sown Winter sown, Seed from DnD Seed Swap
WebTucker	On June 16, 2022	Bloomed
SuperHappyCamper	On February 10, 2023	Obtained plant Purchased from Lowe's.
dragonfetti	On October 16, 2023	Potted up Planted in tubs 1 & 5.

» Post your own event for this plant

Discussion Threads about this plant

Thread Title	Last Reply	Replies
id by aikenforflowers	Jul 11, 2019 5:13 PM	3

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Gayfeathers Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)

Gayfeathers

Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)