Liatris pilosa
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Liatris graminifolia
- Phonetic Spelling
- ly-AY-tris pil-OH-suh
- Description
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Sandhills Blazing Star, a member of the Asteraceae (daisy) family is a slender, herbaceous, upright perennial native to the Eastern United States.
It is noted for its showy spikes of purple flowers in summer through fall. It prefers full sun and dry, sandy, or rocky soil with good drainage and tolerates heat and drought. Its habitat includes long leaf pine sandhills, streams, pine barrens, sand ridges, other xeric forests and woodlands, fields, and road banks.
Its erect growth proved vertical interest in the garden, attracts butterflies and pollinators and makes good cut flowers.
It can be grown from seeds or corms, however seeds can take longer to establish.
With regard to taxonomy, L. pilosa has been misapplied to L. graminifolia var. elegantula. Plants identified as L. pilosa may actually be L. elegantula.
Erect stems are green with fine darker green ridges and reach 1-3 feet tall. Leaves appear both basally and along the stem, getting smaller as they reach the tip. The undersides may have fine hairs. Flower heads appear on a spike, with 7-10 florets, each floret contains small, tubular 5-lobed pink-purple blossoms with rounded petal tips. Long-tongued bees or butterflies may visit the flowers. Propagation is either completed by corm or seeds.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No insect or disease issues. Intolerant of wet soil and becomes lanky in shade.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Liatris
- Species:
- pilosa
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern U.S.A
- Distribution:
- Eastern U.S. from southern Pennsylvania and New Jersey along the coastal plain to Florida and Alabama.
- Wildlife Value:
- Attracts butterflies.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Achene
- Fruit Description:
- Displays from September to December
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Spike
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Good Cut
- Long Bloom Season
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- 7 - 20 petals/rays
- Flower Description:
- Flower heads appear on a spike, or vertical stem of sessile disk flowers (spicate terminal inflorescence). Flower heads each have 7-10 flowers without petals (apetalous), each with 5 lobes. The flowers bloom from top to bottom (basipetally). Each floret contains a small, tubular 5-lobed pink-purple blossoms with rounded petal tips. Long-tongued bees or butterflies may visit the flowers. Blooms from August to November.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves appear both basally and along the stem, getting small as they reach the tip. The base of the plant has tufts of narrow lanceolate leaves (to 12 inches) with hairy fringed margins. The leaf underside has fine hairs. Leaf length shortens progressively from the base of the plant up to the flower heads. Uppermost leaves are needle-like and 2-3 inches long.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Description:
- A single erect stem arises from a basal tuft of leaves. The erect unbranched green stems have fine darker green ridges and reach 1-3 feet tall.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Patio
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Cutting Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Diseases
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Heat
- Insect Pests
- Poor Soil
