Gay feather flowers
Liatris spicata
Marsh blazing star, in the Asteraceae (daisy or aster) family, is a clump-forming perennial that typically grows 3 to 6 feet lofty. It is native to the eastern United States and is most often found in moist areas or growing in meadows. In NC it is found in the coastal and Piedmont areas. The tall spikes of flowers bloom from the highest down, are showy and attract pollinators. The foliage is grass-like and grows in clumps.
This low-maintenance plant prefers average to moist, well-drained soils that range from acidic to neutral in pH. It grows well in full heat to partial shade and also tolerates summer heat and humidity. This particular species does better in moist soils than some other blazing stars. The plant has corms with shallow fibrous roots and can produce new colonies from its corms, though it most often propagates by seed. Native bees nest in the dead, hollow stems, so gardeners are encouraged to cut assist dead stems to 12 to 24 inches and allow them to endure standing until they disintegrate on thei
Brundage, Stephanie
Liatris spicata
Liatris spicata (L.) Willd.
Dense Blazing Actor, Dense Gayfeather, Dense Liatris, Marsh Blazing Star, Marsh Gayfeather, Marsh Liatris
Asteraceae (Aster Family)
Synonym(s):
USDA Symbol: lisp
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN (N)
Dense gayfeather or marsh blazing star is an erect, slender perennial reaching a height of 2-6 ft. The progressive, grass-like leaves are clumped toward the base of the plant, but increase up the stem to the showy flower cluster. A tall spike of rayless, rose-purple (sometimes white), closely set flower heads. The purple, tufted plant heads are arranged in a long, dense spike blooming from the uppermost down.
The species name describes the elongated inflorescence, with its crowded, stalkless flower heads. The protruding styles give the flower an overall feathery appearance, hence its alternate name, Dense Gayfeather.
Plant Characteristics
Duration:PerennialHabit:Herb
Size Notes: Up to about 6 feet statuesque .
Leaf: Green
Fruit:Fruit is a cypsela (pl. cypselae). Though technically inco
Spiky Liatris Spicata – Prairie Gay Feather Spices up the Garden
Though I include been unlucky growing Liatris in my own garden (apparently, young plants are a rare delicacy, voraciously enjoyed by New England woodchucks), I have successfully placed Liatris spicata in many of my client’s gardens. It is my go-to plant for a planting schedule that needs a petty excitement and something to draw the eye up. Its flashy vertical spires (the horticulturalists among us might call them terminal spikes) of deep purple flower heads are an antidote to a mix that needs just that bit of jazz.
Why plant Liatris?
Liatris spicata, commonly recognizable as dense blazing star or gayfeather, is a striking perennial that adds vertical interest and vibrant color to garden landscapes. These North American native plants are well-adapted to a variety of settings, thriving particularly in hardiness zones 3 through 8. Ideal for most temperate regions across the Together States, Liatris spicata flourishes in prairies and open woodlands, making it a versatile decision for diverse garden designs.
The genus of Liatris is primarily native to Eastern North America and Canada (E
Pictured above: A Palamedes swallowtail nectars on Dense gayfeather (Liatris spicata). Photo by Jeff Norcini. Click on terms for botanical definitions. View post as a PDF.
Known also as Dense blazing star, Marsh blazing star and Spiked blazing star, Dense gayfeather is an erect herbaceous perennial with striking spikes of purple flowers. It occurs naturally in mesic to wet flatwoods, seepage slopes, bogs, savannas and roadside ditches. It blooms in late summer through drop and is an marvelous attractor of butterflies, bees and other beneficial insects.
Dense gayfeather begins as a basalrosette of linear, grasslike leaves. Flower stalks and buds appear in summer. Once all the buds have formed, the blooms open from the highest of the flower stalk down. Flowering spikes are slender, elongated (up to 2 feet long) and, as the common mention suggests, dense with flowers. Individual flowers are tubular, rayless and without pedicels. Styles are extended and often slightly twisted. Stems are smooth and unbranched. Stem leaves are straight and alternately arranged. Fruits are tiny, inconspicuous achenes.
The species epithet, spicata, is from the Latin spicatus, meaning “bearing
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