Tall Blazing Star
Liatris aspera
- Native to:
- Canada, United States
Jasper Shide
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Liatris
- Species:
- Liatris aspera
- USDA Symbol:
- LIAS
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Geophyte
- Height:
- 150 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- aug,sep,oct
- Bloom Colors:
- purple, lavender, pink
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Hummingbirds:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented hummingbird visits (GBIF)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Lemon cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus citrinus) Hummingbirds: Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) Butterflies:Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus), ⚠️Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), Peck's skipper (Polites peckius)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies, birds
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from corm after fire. Prairie species adapted to periodic burns.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- thrives in open prairies and savannas
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–28 days
- Notes:
- Cold stratification improves germination rates. Seeds germinate best at 65-75°F after stratification.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Mix the seeds with an equal amount of either perlite or vermiculite and place in a cool dry place for 1-3 months for cold stratification.
Establishment: Seeds are collected by hand from locally native plants within the eastern central Upper Peninsula. The plant is found in dry, sandy sites in full sun and takes several years to go from seed to bloom. There is a variation in pre-treatment protocol, with one suggesting cold stratification only if seeds do not grow, while the other recommends it for all seeds for 105 days.
Source: npn.rngr.net
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Sow @ 4C for 3 weeks, then place @ 20C.