Tall Blazing Star
Liatris aspera
- Native to:
- Canada, United States, Virgin Islands
iNaturalist: © prairie-willow (iNaturalist #55740929)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Liatris
- Species:
- Liatris aspera
- USDA Symbol:
- LIAS
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Geophyte
- Height:
- 120 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- aug,sep,oct
- Bloom Colors:
- purple, 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:
- butterflies, bees, birds
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Benefits from occasional fire to reduce competition and promote flowering.
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:
- 14–30 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily after cold stratification; surface sow on moist soil.
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.
Where to Buy
Nationwide Seller
- Native Plants Nursery (nursery)
- Pizzo Native Plant Nursery (wholesale nursery)
- Prairie Moon Nursery (nursery and seeds)