Dense gayfeather, Blazing star
Liatris spicata
Asteraceae


Landscape Uses:

Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations. Also wildflower and butterfly gardens.

Ecological Restoration Notes:

Availability:
Native plant nurseries in central and northern Florida.
Description:
Medium herbaceous wildflower.
Height:
About 2-3 inches in height; to 3 feet when in flower. Taller than broad when in flower.
Growth Rate:
Moderate.
Range:
Widespread in eastern North America south to Miami-Dade and Collier counties. Perhaps never present or extirpated in Broward County. Not documented on barrier islands in South Florida, but possibly historically present; it is cultivated at Pan’s Garden in Palm Beach.
Habitats:
Pinelands and prairies.
Soils:
Moist to wet, well-drained to moderately well drained sandy or limestone soils, without humus.
Nutritional Requirements:
Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils.
Salt Water Tolerance:
Low; does not tolerate flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance:
Low; salt wind may burn the leaves.
Drought Tolerance:
High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements:
Full sun.
Flower Color:
Rose purplish.
Flower Characteristics:
Showy.
Flowering Season:
Summer-fall.
Fruit:
Inconspicuous achene.
Wildlife and Ecology:
Atttracts bees, butterflies and other beneficial insect pollinators. Valuable source of insects for birds.
Horticultural Notes:
Can be grown from seed.
Comments:
See also the Florida Wildflower Foundation's Flower Friday page. See a 2018 post on the Treasure Coast Natives blog on Blazing Stars and their flowers.


Roger L. Hammer
Shirley Denton
Shirley Denton
Shirley Denton
Shirley Denton
Keith A. Bradley