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Liatris - Blazing Stars

About 40 species native from the Eastern 2/3rds of North America. They hybridize freely so there are many populations of hybrid origin that complicates identification of plants. All have perfect flowers that are tubular shaped in discoid heads. The heads can be in button like clusters spaced out along the spike shaped stems or they can be crowded together appearing as one long spike. The flowers are different shades of rosy purple with white forms common too, blooming from the top of the “spike” downward. All are perennial herbs with corms or a few species having a caudex to rhizome like under ground stems that give rise to many, to as few as one stem(s) with long, entire shaped thin (grassy like) leaves that are arranged alternately up the stems.

Plants bloom mid to late summer and are loved by butterflies. The different forms of L. spicta plus many of the species make very nice garden plants, growing in full sun to part shade. In the “wild” they grow in grassy areas to open stony soiled forests. They also make good cutting material for fresh cut or dried flower displays. Plants grow best in well draining heavy loam soils with moderate fertility. The corms or rootstocks are loved by mice and voles. They can also be cut into pieces to grow new plants. Self seeding is common in the garden on open ground and in crevices and cracks. Plants will bloom the second or third year from sowing. Plants are slow growing from seed, most of the energy goes into forming the corms, seed germination is variable from one species to another, and dependent on the age of the seed, fresh seed having stronger dormancy than aged seed. . Many of the species have seed dormancy that needs a 8 to 12 weeks of cold moist conditioning to break dormancy. The L.spicata forms have been selected for quicker germination with out the cold needed, but germination is still spread-out over many weeks. Seeds are good to medium sized and it can be helpful to soak the seeds in hot water for 24 hours before sowing. Sowing the seeds in trays works well and plants can be lef tin the trays for a year or two if need be, and plants removed as you are ready to plant them out. Over winter the trays out side, keep them dry and bait against voles. and use a dry winter mulch.

Liatris

Products found in this category: 13

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	Liatris aspera Code: LA08 Price: $1.95 Quantity in Basket: none
	'Rough Gay-feather' or 'Blazing Star' or 'Dotted Blazing Star' There are 40 or so species in Liatris and I find them all to be interesting and loved by butterflies. This species likes dry open sandy soils and grows over a wide range from Minnesota to Texas. Use in full sun in the perennial boarder or the grass garden, plants grow up to three feet tall and have purple flowers clustered together into 'buttons.' A number of stems come from each plant and bloom for many weeks in late summer. Plants will bloom the second or third year after germination and bloom in late summer. Much loved by Butterflies. I love this plant but it is a little bit on the floppy side-so stake or better yet, grow it mixed in with short grasses and other plants that will support it. I just let mine lean over and do their own thing. Zones 3-8. Surface sow seeds, light helps with germination, use F 70, germination is spread out over a few months. Grow the seeds in the seed tray for one year and then transplant out in the spring of the next year. Will take two or three years to reach flowering size. The corm like root-stock should be planted around 1 inch deep or less. Be carful during fall clean up that you do not remove the corms from the soil when cleaning up the dried stems. 50 seeds.
	Liatris spicata 'Floristan Violet' Code: LSFV-A4 Price: $1.90 Quantity in Basket: none
	'Blazing Star' or 'Gay Feather' Tall narrow spikes of purple -- violet flowers, blooming in mid-late summer. Great for cutting. Plants grow best in full sun but will do well in light shade too. In too much shade they might produce lax stems. Use in well drained but moisture retentive soils were they will live for many years and bloom over a long period. Plants grow 36-48' tall and produce densely pacted spikes of flowers. This selection was developed for the cut flower trade, nice upright growth with many flowers. Plants bloom the second year. Zones 4-9. Surface sow seeds, light needed for best germination. Germination in 3 weeks at F. 70. 50 seeds.
	Liatris spicata 'Kobold' Lot D Code: LSK7 Price: $2.00 Quantity in Basket: none
	Shorter growing plants, with flowering spikes growing from 15 to 18 inches tall from thick clumps with a number of spikes per plant with purple colored flowers and grassy basel foliage. Great for the front of the border or used in a strip garden along a fence or driveway. Great mixed in with Purple Cone flowers or Coreopsis verticillate. Summer blooming. The flowering spikes are more club like than the taller forms of Liatris. Zones 3-9. Sow seeds at 70F, germination starts in 2 weeks and is spread out over a month or two. 50 seeds.
	Liatris spicata 'Floristan White' Lot A5 Code: LSSW Price: $2.00 Quantity in Basket: none
	This one has 40 to 48 inch tall spikes of pure white flowers on slender stems, a nice clean white that is useful for cutting. Zones 4-8. Germination in less than two weeks at 68ºF . Surface sow seeds, light needed for best results. If little germination then provide cool conditions (24-39F) for 6 weeks. 50 seeds.
	Liatris pycnostachya Code: LIA1 Price: $1.00 Quantity in Basket: none
	'Prairie Blazing Star' or 'Gayfeather' Purple flower spikes grow 12-40 inches tall. 50 seeds.
	Liatris squarrosa Lot A Code: LTY5 Price: $2.00 Quantity in Basket: none
	'Scaly Blazing Star' Plants grow from 6 to 24 inches tall with purple flowers made up of long thin petals. The flowers are formed into buttons, with a number of buttons ending each stem. The stems have long thin leaves. Plants do best in sandy well draining soils in full sun. Zones 3-8. 50 seeds.
	Liatris scariosa Lot A Code: LTY6 Price: $2.00 Quantity in Basket: none
	'Northern Blazing Star' or 'Eastern Blazingstar' or 'Devil's Bite' (lee-AH-tris: scar-ee-OH-suh) Tall spikes of violet-lavender to rosy purple colored flowers ,they are nice cut flowers for arrangements. This hardy and easy to cultivate species grows well in lean to moderately fertile soil with good drainage in full sun. Loved by butterflies. Zones 3-9. Native from prairies, woodland clearings and savannas from Ontario to Wisconsin to North Dakota, south to Florida, and west to Texas. Lightly cover seeds and use 70ºF, germination takes a few weeks and is spread out over a month or two. Might help to soak seeds in warm water for 24 hours. If no germination move to 32-39F for 6 weeks then back to 70ºF. 50 seeds.
	Liatris lancifolia Code: LTY7-M Price: $2.00 Quantity in Basket: none
	'Western Marsh Blazing Star' (lie-A-tris: lan-si-FOE-lee-a) Grows 2 to 3 feet tall with many small heads of rosy-purple colored flowers in nicely packed spikes of flowers. Blooms for almost two months but the stems are a bit wiry and can be lax. Plants are better with age. Zones 4-9. 50 seeds.
	Liatris ligulistylis Lot P Code: LTY8 Price: $2.45 Quantity in Basket: none
	'Meadow Blazing Star' 50 seeds.
	Liatris punctata Lot A Code: LKH1 Price: $2.00 Quantity in Basket: none
	'Dotted Blazing Star' Lightly cover seeds and use 70ºF, germination takes a few weeks and is spread out over a month or two. Might help to soak seeds in warm water for 24 hours. If no germination move to 32-39F for 6 weeks then back to 70ºF. 35 seeds.
	Liatris spicata 'Picador' Code: LKT2-A2 Price: $2.00 Quantity in Basket: none
	Plants grow 2 to 3 feet tall and have rosy-purple (rosy-carmine?)colored flowers in dense spikes. Nice selection, well worth growing and used as cut flowers, and like most all Liatris loved by butterflies. 50 seeds.
	Liatris scariosa 'Alba' Code: LSA4-A Price: $2.95 Quantity in Basket: none
	White flowering form. Zones 3-9. 30 seeds.
	Liatris borealis Lot A Code: 4LI2 Price: $2.30 Quantity in Basket: none
	'Northern Blazingstar' A rare north Eastern species with flowers in buttons a long a 1 to 3 foot tall stem. Blooms in August and September. Grow on open sandy loam soils in full sun, were plants are drought tolerant. Zones 3-8. Sow and for the first 12 weeks keep at 32-39ºF, move to 68ºF for germination. 50 seeds.