Dense Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)

Dense Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)

Dense Blazing Star brings bold color and vertical interest to the garden with tall spikes of vivid pinkish purple blooms. They open from the top down rising above narrow grass-like foliage, creating strong architectural lines that pair beautifully with both formal plantings and naturalistic prairie gardens. It is one of our very very favorites. 

Despite its refined appearance, Dense Blazing Star is a tough and adaptable native that thrives in a wide range of conditions. It naturally occurs in moist prairies and meadows but performs well in average garden soils once established. The long-lasting blooms provide weeks of color in mid to late summer, while the seedheads add texture and winter interest long after flowering has finished.

Growing Conditions
Light: Full sun
Soil: Medium to moist; adaptable to a variety of soil types
Height: 3–5 feet
Spread: 1–2 feet
Zones: 3–8
Bloom time: July through September

Wildlife Value
Dense Blazing Star is one of the best native plants for pollinators, attracting an incredible diversity of butterflies, native bees, skippers, and other beneficial insects. Monarchs, swallowtails, painted ladies, and numerous bee species frequently visit the nectar-rich flowers. Goldfinches and other songbirds may feed on the seeds in fall and winter, extending its wildlife value beyond the blooming season.

Blooms Alongside: Rose milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), Anise Hyssop (agestache foeniculum), hoary vervain (Verbena stricta), common bee balm (Monarda fistulosa), obedient plant (Physostegia Virginiana)

For more information, please check out our sizes, pricing and ordering page.