General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
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)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 8b
Plant Height: 12 - 18 inches
Plant Spread: 6 - 12 inches
Fruit: Showy
Flowers: Showy
Flower Color: Purple
Bloom Size: Under 1"
Flower Time: Summer
Late summer or early fall
Underground structures: Corm
Uses: Cut Flower
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Butterflies
Hummingbirds
Resistances: Drought tolerant
Propagation: Seeds: Stratify seeds: 3 months at 40 degrees
Suitable for wintersowing
Can handle transplanting
Propagation: Other methods: Offsets
Pollinators: Bees

Image
Common names
  • Gayfeather
  • Gay Feather
  • Dense Blazing Star
  • Blazing Star

Photo Gallery
Location: Vallican, B.C.
Date: 2008-08-03
- They look like soft lavender wands.
Location: Nora's Garden - Castlegar, B.C.
Date: 2016-10-07
- A surprising burst of Fall colour.
Location: Nora's Garden - Castlegar, B.C.
Date: 2016-07-08
- Liatris blooms start from the top.
Location: Fairfax, VA | October 2022
Location: My Cincinnati Ohio garden
Date: 2013-07-01
Liatris, third ear plant

Date: 2018-07-13
Location: Nora's Garden - Castlegar, B.C.
Date: 2016-10-19
- They generously seed themselves.
Location: Fairfax, VA | June, 2022

Image Courtesy of Bloomin Designs Nursery Used with Permission
  • Uploaded by vic
Location: Millinocket, Maine
Date: 2023-07-28
Location: NJ
Location: Kalama, Wa
Date: 2011-08-31
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: DC, Virginia | May, 2022
Date: 2022-05-29
Location: Mason, New Hampshire
Date: 2020-07-16
Photo credit: Robert Duval

Photo courtesy of Select Seeds
Location: Eagle Bay, New York
Date: 2021-06-28
Gayfeather (Liatris spicata 'Kobold')
Location: Fairfax, VA | June, 2022

Date: 2012-07-05
Location: My garden in Kalama, Wa. Zone 8
Date: 2014-07-13
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Fairfax, Virginia
Date: 2022-04-10
Location: Twisp
Date: September
Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: 2009-07-11
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: My garden in Kentucky
Date: 2006-06-26
Location: Garden
Date: 2017-10-22
Location: My Garden
Date: 2013-08-03
Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: Mid Summer
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Fairfax, VA| June, 2022
Date: 2022-06-18
Location: Maryland
Date: 2015-07-03
Skipper enjoying the liatris bloom
Location: Fairfax, Virginia (Outdoors)
Location: Mason, New Hampshire
Date: 2019-07-03
photo credit: Robert Duval
Location: My garden in Kalama, Wa. Zone 8
Date: 2012-08-02
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Date: 2010-07-11
clump in bloom
Location: My garden in Kalama, Wa. Zone 8
Date: 2014-07-06
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Fairfax, Virginia (Outdoors)
Location: Newby Hall, Yorkshire UK
Date: 2018-06-15
Location: Fairfax, Virginia (Outdoors)
Location: Newby Hall, Yorkshire UK
Date: 2018-06-15
Location: My garden in N E Pa. 
Date: 2015-07-12
Location: My garden in Kentucky
Date: 2006-06-26

Photo courtesy of Select Seeds
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Date: October 2011
Liatris kobold purple
Location: Fairfax, Virginia (May 2022)
Date: 2022-05-18
Location: My Garden
Date: 2013-08-03
Uploaded by sedumzz
Location: Fairfax, Virginia (Outdoors)
Uploaded by sedumzz
Uploaded by sedumzz
Location: Richmond
Date: 2015-05-21

It missed it's show!! Eek! Maybe it will bloom next year

Date: 2012-07-05

Date: 2012-07-05
Location: Tennessee
Courtesy Sunlight Gardens, www.sunlightgardens.com
Uploaded by sedumzz
Location: Indiana  Zone 5
Date: 2012-10-23
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2005-07-14
Location: My garden in Kentucky
Date: 2006-06-24
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Date: October 2011
Liatris kobold purple seeds
Location: Maryland
Date: 2015-07-03
Location: Pembroke, GA
Date: 2014-01-23
Photo courtesy of Santa Rosa Gardens. Used with permission.

Date: 2012-07-05
Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
Date: 2011-07-17
plants in bloom
Location: Maryland
Date: 2014-04-28
Location: English Gardens, West Bloomfield, MI
Date: 2010-08-26
Location: English Gardens, West Bloomfield, MI
Date: 2010-08-26
Location: English Gardens, West Bloomfield, MI
Date: 2010-08-26
Location: English Gardens, West Bloomfield, MI
Date: 2010-08-26
Location: English Gardens, West Bloomfield, MI
Date: 2010-08-26
Location: Bordines Nursery, Rochester Hills, MI
Date: 2015-07-04
Location: Bordines Nursery, Rochester Hills, MI
Date: 2015-07-04
This plant is tagged in:
Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image

Comments:
  • Posted by ILPARW (southeast Pennsylvania - Zone 6b) on Feb 21, 2018 3:30 PM concerning plant:
    Some of this Kobold cultivar of the Spike Gayfeather or Blazingstar is sold at many conventional nurseries and big box stores that sell perennials. It is a compact selection that does not lean over, as the mother species can unless supported by other tall perennials. It is very easy to grow and it does self-sow some and comes true from seed. It blooms about a month. After that, the foliage still looks good. Gayfeather (Blazingstars) unlike other flowering forbs with spike flower clusters blooms from the top downward.
  • Posted by kqcrna (Valencia, Pa - Zone 6a) on Oct 22, 2011 9:22 PM concerning plant:
    Liatris Kobold purple is a beautiful, upright spike of bright purple. It is drought tolerant and adds vertical accent to the garden. It attracts bees and butterflies.
  • Posted by SongofJoy (Clarksville, TN - Zone 6b) on Mar 14, 2012 1:56 PM concerning plant:
    Kobold' is just like the species Liatris spicata except that it is shorter growing. These plants, grown from seed, will range from 18-30 inches tall.
  • Posted by Catmint20906 (PNW WA half hour south of Olympia - Zone 8a) on Aug 24, 2014 5:35 AM concerning plant:
    Gay Feather (Liatris spicata) 'Kobold' is a shorter, upright cultivar of the species plant, only reaching about 18" in height, in contrast to the species plant, which can grow up to 3 feet tall. Kobold's plumes are also more upright than those of the species plant. 'Kobold' blooms in midsummer.

    Liatris spicata is a nectar source for Monarchs and other butterflies and is a Monarch Way Station plant. The pollinators love it! Liatris spicata also has special value to native and bumble bees and is visited at times by hummingbirds.
Plant Events from our members
Catmint20906 On June 25, 2015 Bloomed
Anndixon On June 13, 2018 Obtained plant
Plant Kingdom
» Post your own event for this plant

« Add a new plant to the database

» Search the Gayfeathers Database: by characteristics or by cultivar name

« See the general plant entry for Gayfeathers (Liatris)

« The Gayfeathers Database Front Page

« The Plants Database Front Page

Today's site banner is by crawgarden and is called ""

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.