Blazing Stars (Liatris spicata) - Butterfly Favorites

Liatris spicata - also known as
Blazing Star, Gay Feather and Snakeroot
Photo by Brad Sylvester, copyright 2011

Of course, some plants are easier to identify because I put them in my yard. For these introduced or cultivated species, we'll concentrate more on gardening information than on species identification. We have a perennial garden along the walkway that leads to our front door. We keep a wide variety of flowering plants that provide color throughout the summer. They also provide nectar and pollen for butterflies and other insects.

One of our favorites is the Liatris spicata. Like many widespread native plants, Liatris spicata has several common names as different communities encountered it and called it different things. Common names for this plant include blazing star, gay feather and snakeroot.

To add Liatris Spicata to your yard click here to visit BloomingBulb.com

The plant displays bright purple flowers beginning in mid-July. Because Liatris spicata is a late season bloomer, it is a perfect accompaniment to the early flowering bulb flowers like daffodils and the short-lived lily flowers. The shape of the flower stalks also provides a good vertical accent for the garden growing over three feet tall. The Robert W. Freckmann Herbarium site says Liatris spicata grow over 6.5 feet tall, but mine have not made it over four feet high.

Bear in mind, however, that there are several different cultivars or varieties of Liatris spicata and each may have different blooming characteristics. I also have a white variety in my yard and it tends to start blooming a few weeks later than the purple variety, for example.

Liatris Spicata is a favorite of bumblebees, drone flies and butterflies as its compound flowers provide a rich source of nectar and plenty of room for all.

Blazing Stars are a favorite of butterflies and other nectar feeders
Photo by Brad Sylvester, copyright 2011, all rights reserved

Growing Conditions

Liatris spicata does best in full sun and seems to be quite heat-tolerant and drought resistant. It has been as cold as 10 degrees below zero Fahrenheit for several days in a row since we put them in and the blazing star bulbs seem to have no trouble surviving in the ground. We don't water our perennial garden as just about everything there does well even in heat waves without extra care. Mulch helps to keep the moisture in the ground, as well as providing a little extra protection against the coldest temperatures.

The Advantage of Landscaping with Native Species

Blazing stars are native to North America and don't seem, in my yard at least, to be much bothered by insect pests. Japanese beetles and other leaf-eaters tend to leave it alone, as do chipmunks and other animals that might eat the bulbs. Blooming Bulb says it grows well in planting zones 3-9. The USDA species site says the Liatris spicata grows wild in the Eastern United States and Canada from the Gulf Coast to northern Hudson Bay.

The fact that it is a native species means two things. First, we don't have to worry about it spreading beyond our yard as an invasive species which could become a nuisance. Second, it is well adapted to the growing conditions throughout its range and shouldn't need extra watering, chemical fertilizers or insecticides in order to grow. If it can grow in the wild without any help, it can definitely grow in your yard as long as you take good care of the soil by adding organic material on a regular basis.

Propagation of Liatris Spicata

The Liatris spicata will slowly spread from the area in which it's planted if it finds the spot to its liking. The roots can be dug up and separated to make a separate cluster in other locations. A good rule of thumb for bulbs is to plant them three times deeper than the height of the bulb.

I prefer to divide and plant winter hardy bulbs in the late fall after the leaves have begun to die back, but before the ground freezes. That can be quite late in the year for Liatris spicata. You can also dig them in the early spring, before they really start growing for the year. If they are dug in the fall and can't be immediately replanted, you can keep them in a cool, dark place packed in sawdust, sand or other loose material that will keep them from getting too moist (to prevent mold or rotting). In this way you can trade them with neighbors and friends.

Liatris spicata Seed Propagation

Of course, the Liatris spicata, as a flowering plant, will also produce seeds and may also spread by self-seeding. If you collect the seeds, I prefer planting in the very late fall. This lets the seeds overwinter just as if they had fallen from the plant naturally. Some seeds require a period of cold-conditioning to make them viable. This is a built-in protection for plants that grow in cold climates. Without it, they might start to grow during a warm spell in the fall and be killed off by frost and freezing temperatures before they have time to establish bulbs or enough size to survive the winter. I can't say for certain whether this characteristic is present in Liatris spicata. I suspect that it does. If you prefer you can store the seeds in the refrigerator (in a sealed container to protect them from over drying) until you are ready to plant in the spring. The refrigerator (not the freezer) temperature is generally sufficiently cool to trigger the cold conditioning for seeds that require it.