Slender Blazing Star
Liatris gracilis
- Native to:
- United States
Mike Owsley, USDA-NRCS, Jimmy Carter Plant Materials Center, Americus, Georgia
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Liatris
- Species:
- Liatris gracilis
- USDA Symbol:
- LIGR9
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Geophyte
- Height:
- 120 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- aug,sep,oct,nov
- Bloom Colors:
- purple, lavender, pink
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: American bumble (Bombus pensylvanicus) Butterflies:Delaware Skipper (Anatrytone logan), Julia butterfly (Dione vanillae), Ocola Skipper (Panoquina ocola), Palmetto Skipper (Euphyes arpa), Twin-spot Skipper (Oligoria maculata)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies, birds
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from corm after fire. Common in fire-maintained sandhills and pine flatwoods.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, acidic, 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 like pine flatwoods
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–28 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate best with light exposure. Cold stratification improves germination rates.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI