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Plant Profile: Liatris - Blazing Star

Liatris

Liatris - Blazing Star

Family: Asteraceae

Common Name(s): Blazing-star, Gay-feather, Button snakeroot

Native to: North America, Mexico, and the Bahamas

Flowering: Summer

Watering: Water occasionally to promote growth.

Planting Aspect: Full sun to part shade

Preferred Climate: Temperate, Subtropical, Grassland


Description

An excellent garden or container plant with stiffly erect stems clothed with numerous, narrow, alternate leaves for most of their length and a dense terminal spike of individual feathery flowers of purple, deep rose or white which open in succession from the top down. These easy to grow plants are prized for their late summer flowering and soon form clumps which makes them ideal for the middle and back of mixed borders by growing up to 90cm tall.


Cultivation

Liatris prefers a sunny position and any good garden or potting soil suits these plants, however good drainage is not as important as L.spicata will tolerate quite damp soils. Plant the rootstocks 8 to 12cm deep and 20 to 25cm apart and water well throughout the growing season but less throughout their winter dormant season. No feeding is necessary. Prolong flower production by cutting off the spent flower stems. Liatris may need protection from mice which can damage the rootstocks. Laying down some wire mesh will achieve this.
Revised: 19th Dec 2009 @ 7:57 AM
Keywords: liatris, blazing star, asteraceae, liatris, blazing, star, plant, nursery