Liatris squarrosa
This drought-tolerant North American perennial in the Asteraceae forms globose to slightly elongate corms, grows about 1–3 feet tall, bears unbranched stems with spiky purple flowerheads in full sun on well-drained sandy or rocky soils, blooms from midsummer through fall, and attracts hummingbirds, moths, and butterflies.
Common Names
Scaly Blazing Star, Loosescale Gayfeather, Colicroot
Summary
Liatris squarrosa, Scaly Blazing Star, is a North American native perennial that grows from rounded woody underground corms to about 1–2 feet tall, with upright stems and narrow leaves. It features spikes of pinkish-purple blooms with scaly bracts; each head is about 5/8 inch long and up to 1 inch wide, containing 23–45 florets, and it blooms from mid-summer to late summer, attracting pollinators. Prefers full sun and well-drained soils, tolerates dry to moderately dry conditions and poor soils, and is drought-tolerant; water should be sparingly applied, allowing the soil to dry between waterings. Hardy in USDA zones 4–8. Uses include wildflower and pollinator plantings, rock gardens, and prairie or dry meadow landscapes; suitable for cut flowers. Propagation by seeds or division.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
12-24 inches
Spread
12-24 inches
Hardiness Zones
Zones 4-8
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally full Sun. Tolerates partial shade.
Soil Type
Well-drained, light sandy to medium loamy soil
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil, typically dry to dry-mesic, preferably sandy or rocky.
Soil pH
6.0-6.5, Acid to neutral, Tolerates a wide range including slightly acidic or slightly alkaline soil pH
Bloom Color
Purple
Bloom Time
Summer to Fall
Foliage Color
Green
Fall Foliage Color
Green
Leaf Lifecycle
Deciduous
Growth Rate
Medium
Seasons of Interest
Summer and Fall
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Division, Basal cuttings
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts bees, butterflies, moths, wasps, beetles, and birds
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- (L.) Willd.
- Publication
- Sp. Pl., ed. 4 [Willdenow] 3(3): 1634. 1803 [Apr-Dec 1803]
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Asterales
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Subfamily
- Asteroideae
- Tribe
- Eupatorieae
- Subtribe
- Liatrinae
- Genus
- Liatris
Synonyms
Serratula squarrosa Liatris uniflora Vernonia hirsutiflora Liatris glabrata var. glabrata Liatris glabrata Liatris hirsuta Liatris squarrosa var. compacta Liatris hirsutiflora Liatris squarrosa var. hirsuta Lacinaria squarrosa var. squarrosa Vernonia hirsutiflora Liatris squarrosa var. hirsuta Liatris squarrosa