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Dense Blazing Star

Liatris spicata

Also known as: Marsh Blazing Star

Stiff, wand-like spikes of feathery magenta-purple flowers open from the top down over grass-like basal foliage in midsummer. An indispensable vertical accent for sunny borders and rain gardens, swarming with monarch butterflies and bumblebees. Makes a long-lasting, sturdy cut flower.

Family

Asteraceae

Type

wildflower

Lifespan

perennial

Height

2–4 ft

Spacing

0.75–1.5 ft apart

Light

sun

Soil moisture

moist

Soil pH

acidic, neutral

Bloom

July, August, September

Bloom colors

purple

Wildlife value

songbirds

Landscape uses

border, naturalizing, rain garden

Native states

AL, AR, DC, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MO, MS, NC, NJ, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA, WI, WV