Sharing my favorite plants as an avid gardener, week by week
July 30th: Liatris or Blazing Star or Gayfeather
One of my favorite plants is Liatris, or Meadow Blazing Star, also known as gayfeather. This plant is colorful and a magnet for pollinators, such as monarch butterflies.
I’ve grown several varieties in my home gardens over the years.
Liatris spicata, or dense blazing star, is purplish pink. It grows in USDA Horticultural zones 3–8. I live in zone 4, a fairly cold zone with the possibility of sub-zero temperatures in the winter. It reliably comes back year after year and like full sun.
Here is a link to the USDA Hardiness Zone Map to see what zone your residence falls in, if you don’t know.
I first planted it as part of my monarch butterfly habitat at my home north of La Crosse, Wisconsin. The monarchs were drawn to it in droves, especially in the fall, as they transited South.
Blooming in July and August (mine just opened this week), they are 2–4 feet tall and considered low maintenance. They tolerate clay soil but ideally like the soil that drains well.
Liatris are perennials with flowers that open from the top down.
I’ve had several different varieties of liatris. Rough Blazing Star or Liatris aspera grew behind our barn when we lived in La Crosse County. I planted it there as I had Rose Milkweed in adjacent beds. The monarchs loved this variety as well as the Liatris spicata.
You can see how impressive they are when they are clumped together.
Liatris has been a low-maintenance plant in my gardens. It is vibrant and a magnet for pollinators. It is a native plant in Wisconsin, according to the Horticulture page for the University of Wisconsin Extension Office. If you live in a state east of the Rocky Mountains, there’s a good chance Liatris will grow in your garden too!
The Apples in My Orchard 