Liatris spicata (Dense Blazing Star)

Size: 3-4’ tall / 1-2’ wide

Sun: Full Sun

Soil: Average to Wet, Well-Drained / Adaptable

Bloom Time: Summer

Deer Resistance: 2.5/5

Ecotype: Unknown

Dense Blazing Star is a great addition to native plantings, whether in a tidier garden bed or in a meadow. They provide a strong vertical element with their purple spikes of flowers that bloom during the summer and the attractive seedheads that persist through the winter. This is especially impactful when planted en masse with native grasses and other perennials. Though they prefer moister settings, they are quite adaptable to average garden soils, and can be long-lived when happy. 

Dense Blazing Star produces a good amount of nectar, and the purple flowers attract many of our favorite, flashy pollinators-- hummingbirds, butterflies (especially Monarchs and Swallowtails), and native bees. Several moth species will use species of Liatris as larval host plants, including the Wavy-Lined Emerald Looper, and it is the sole host plant for the Glorious Flower moth. The seedheads are enjoyed by songbirds in the winter, especially goldfinches.