Meadow blazing star

Sun

Full sun; tolerates light shade, but stems may lean and flowering is reduced.

Water

Moderate; water regularly while establishing, then during prolonged dry spells. Established plants tolerate some drought but flower best with occasional deep watering.

Soil

Well-drained sandy, loamy or clay soil with moderate fertility. Avoid waterlogged ground, particularly in winter.

Height

3-5 ft (0.9-1.5 m)

Spread

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)

Flowers

Mid-summer to early autumn; rosy-purple to violet-purple flower heads open progressively from the upper part of each stem downward.

Foliage

Narrow green leaves, larger near the base and smaller along the flowering stems; dies back in winter.

Growth

Moderate; young plants may take two or three growing seasons to form substantial flowering clumps.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Drought tolerant
• Cold hardy
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1 ft (0.3 m)

2. After 1 year

   2 ft (0.6 m)

3. After 2 years

   3 ft (0.9 m)

4. After 3 years

   4 ft (1.2 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Native to

the US and Canada

Growth rate

Moderate

• Water deeply during the first growing season, letting the soil surface dry between waterings.
• Avoid rich feeding; apply a light dressing of compost in spring only if the soil is poor.
• Keep mulch thin and clear of the crown to discourage rot.
• Support tall stems early with twiggy stakes or grow them among sturdy grasses, especially in exposed gardens.
• Divide crowded clumps in spring if flowering declines; routine annual division is unnecessary.

Pruning. Leave spent stems standing through winter for seed-eating birds and structure, then cut them close to ground level in late winter or early spring before new shoots emerge. Remove individual faded flower stems earlier if you want to limit self-seeding.

Late winter

Cut down old stems before new growth begins, leaving any occupied hollow stems nearby until insects have emerged.

Spring

Plant container-grown plants in a sunny, well-drained position and water thoroughly.

Spring

Divide established clumps if needed, keeping healthy buds and roots on each division.

Early summer

Add discreet supports before stems become tall enough to lean.

Summer

Water during prolonged dry spells and check that neighbouring plants are not shading the crown.

Autumn

Leave seed heads for birds, or collect ripe seed when the heads become dry and fluffy.

Late autumn

Sow seed outdoors in pots protected from rodents so winter cold can help break dormancy.

• Plant in loose groups through prairie-style borders with little bluestem and switchgrass for tall purple accents.
• Place in the middle or back of a sunny mixed border, where lower plants can conceal the sparse lower stems.
• Combine with goldenrods and black-eyed Susans for contrasting purple and yellow late-season flowers.
• Use beside a sunny path or seating area where visiting butterflies can be watched closely.

Garden styles it suits: Native meadow, Midwest prairie, New perennial (prairie), Pollinator garden, Wildlife garden and Cottage garden.

Plant it with: Little bluestem, Prairie dropseed, Purple coneflower, Black-eyed Susan, Showy goldenrod and Aromatic aster.

Wildlife: The nectar-rich flowers attract monarchs, swallowtails and many other butterflies, as well as bees. Finches and other seed-eating birds may feed on the ripe seed heads.

• Crown or root rot in wet soil: improve drainage or move plants to higher ground; keep winter mulch away from the crown.
• Powdery mildew in crowded conditions: increase spacing and airflow, and water at soil level rather than wetting the leaves.
• Voles and other rodents eating the underground corms: reduce dense cover around affected plants and use buried wire-mesh protection where damage persists.
• Flopping stems in shade or over-rich soil: move to full sun, stop high-nitrogen feeding and provide discreet supports.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people. Species-specific safety information is limited, and no part should be treated as food; discourage pets and children from eating it.

• Dense blazing star (Liatris spicata)

  Its smaller flower heads are packed closely against the stem in a dense, wand-like spike; meadow blazing star has larger, more widely spaced heads on noticeable short stalks.

• Prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya)

  It forms a densely packed, cylindrical flower spike rather than the loose arrangement of rounded, stalked heads found on meadow blazing star.

The species name ligulistylis refers to its tongue- or strap-shaped styles, the slender structures projecting from the tiny flowers.

Propagation. Divide established clumps in early spring, retaining roots and at least one healthy growing point on each piece. Grow from seed sown outdoors in autumn, or give spring-sown seed about 8-12 weeks of cold, moist treatment; seedlings commonly need two or more growing seasons to flower.

Accepted botanical name

Liatris ligulistylis

In the US and Canada

Native in Canada and the lower 48 states.

Native range

Alberta, Colorado, Iowa, Manitoba, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.