Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Asteraceae

Genus:

Liatris

Species:

Liatris elegantula

USDA Symbol:

LIEL7

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Geophyte

Height:

90 cm

Light Requirements:

Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

aug,sep,oct

Bloom Colors:

purple, pink

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Caterpillars:

★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

butterflies, bees, birds

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from corm after fire; adapted to fire-maintained pine savannas and sandhills.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

prefers open, sunny habitats

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

14–28 days

Notes:

Seeds germinate best with cold stratification and exposure to light.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI