Meadow Blazing Star

Liatris ligulistylis

Meadow Blazing Star is the ultimate nectar plant for Monarch butterflies. Numerous other butterflies and pollinators will visit as well, along with hummingbirds. …

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Plants 3" Pots
1-4 $7.99 ea.
5-10 $6.99 ea.
11-31 $5.99 ea.
32+ $4.99 ea.
Availability: In stock
SKU
35340-03
Cultural Details
Soil Type Loam
Soil Moisture Medium, Moist
Sun Exposure Full Sun
Height 3' - 5'
Bloom Color Lavender, Pink, Purple
Bloom Time Aug, Sep
Spacing 6" - 1'
Zones 3, 4, 5, 6
Root Type Corm
Benefits Birds, Butterflies, Pollinators, Hummingbirds, Host Plant

Meadow Blazing Star is the ultimate nectar plant for Monarch butterflies. Numerous other butterflies and pollinators will visit as well, along with hummingbirds. The late season seeds are popular with Goldfinches.

Liatris ligulistylis lends a vertical accent to perennial borders. It can grow up to 5' tall when planted in rich soils, in which case you may want to stake the plants. This Liatris is somewhat tolerant of dry soils, but is best planted in areas that have consistently "medium" soil moisture and fertility. It tolerates summer heat and humidity, but avoid planting it in soils that stay wet in the winter.

Meadow Blazing Star can be distinguished from Rough Blazing Star by its flower stems which are longer and more widely branched. Its bloom color can lean toward magenta, and the tufted blossoms often appear all at once along the stems, lasting for many weeks in late summer. 

Plants in the Liatris genus are known to host numerous small moths, such as the Glorious Flower moth (Schinia gloriosa), Three lined Flower moth (Schinia trifascia), Wavy-Lined Emerald (Synchlora aerata), and the Blazing Star Borer moth (Carmenta anthracipennis).