Scientific Name:
Liatris spicata
Pronunciation:
lye-AY-triss lye-AY-triss spy-KAY-tuh
Common Name:
blazing star, liatris
Family Name:
Asteraceae
Plant Type:
Flowering cut plant, Herbaceous perennial
Key ID Features:
Basal leaves linear to narrowly elliptic, most 15-30cm long x 1-2cm wide; stem leaves spirally arranged spirally arranged, linear, sessile, 5-10cm long x 3-5mm wide mid-way up stem; flower heads arranged in a spike, purple, violet or white, opening from top to bottom.
Habit:
Upright
Form:
Oval - vertical
Texture:
Medium
Mature Height:
0.7 - 1.3m
Mature Spread:
0.3 - 0.6m
Origin:
Canada - central, U.S. - central, U.S. - northeast
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 4: (-34 to -29 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun
Soil/Growing Medium:
Water Use:
High
Landscape Uses:
Attract butterflies, Cut flower or foliage, Perennial border
Additional Info:
Google. Cultivars shown or on campus may include L. 'Floristan' and L. 'Alba'.
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple, Grass-like
Arrangement:
Alternate, Spiraled, Basal, Sessile
Texture/Venation:
Soft flexible
Surfaces:
Glabrous
Colour in Fall:
Yellow
Shapes:
Linear
Apices:
Acute
Bases:
Cuneate
Margins:
Entire
Inflorescence Type:
Head (capitulum), Floriferous, Spike-like
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Corolla Shape:
Ligulate
Ovary Position:
Inferior
Colour (petals):
Showy, White, Violet, Purple, Pink
Flower Time at Peak:
Aug, Sep
Additional Info:
Heads open from top of a spike-like inflorescence downwards.
Fruit Type:
Cypsela (achene + calyx)
Fruit Colour:
Brown
Fruiting Time:
Oct
Additional Info:
Not showy,
Bark or Stem Colour:
Green
Organ Modifications:
Corms
Propagation:
Seed, Division - below ground parts
Maintenance:
Low
Pest Susceptibility:
Slugs or snails (Pest resistant, Disease resistant, Drought tolerant)
Course(s):
- HORT 1193/1293
- HORT 2355
- CLT Training
Location(s):
- (BCE) Boulevard (Circular) Eastend : sp. and cv. Alba in labyrinth
- (GRB) GRass Bed
- (GRBE) GRass Bed East
- (PDE) PonD East
- (PDW) PonD West