Prairie Blazing Star

Notes:

Prairie blazing star is perhaps the tallest Liatris species in cultivation, typically growing 2-4' tall (infrequently to 5'). It is an upright, clump-forming, native perennial which commonly occurs in prairies, open woods, meadows and along railroad tracks and roads. Features rounded, fluffy, deep rose-purple flower heads (each to 3/4" across) which are crowded into terminal spikes (to 20" long) atop thickly-leafed, rigid flower stalks. Stalks arise from basal tufts of narrow, lance-shaped leaves (to 12" long). Flowers generally open top to bottom on the spikes. Blooms in summer. Liatris belongs to the aster family, with each flower head having only fluffy disk flowers (resembling "blazing stars") and no rays. Pycnostachya means "crowded" in Greek, in probable reference to the arrangement of both flower heads and leaves. This species is distinguished from other Liatris species by its reflexed, long-tipped involucral bracts.