Liatris scariosa
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- LIE-a-tris skay-ree-OH-sah
- Description
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Blazing Star is an erect perennial herb 1.5 -3' tall. It is clump-forming and grows up to 2' wide. It blooms in midsummer to fall and flowers appear fimbriated or dissected due to the protruding style branches. Stems are stiff, erect, and loaded with short, grass-like leaves. Stems may need staking as they often lean with age. Root-knot nematode may become a problem in southern gardens. This plant is found in dry woods and clearings in addition to being utilized in perennial beds, as a background plant, as a specimen plant, or as dried cut flowers. This plant requires full sun to light shade in well-drained soils. It is tolerant of heat loads and is intolerant of wet soils. This plant has no serious pest or disease problems.
Quick ID Hints:
- Tall, unbranched grassy stems
- Terminal spike of small heads
- Flowers are tubular and fringe-looking
- 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:
- scariosa
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern U.S.A
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Wildflower
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Spike
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Description:
- The bowl-shaped flower heads are in interrupted clusters, composed of disk flowers on diverging stalks. They are tubular and purplish to rose-pink to white in color. Style branches are exerted. The inflorescence is terminal and compound. Flowers have a spike of heads that are small and discoid. Phyllaries are green to pigmented.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Feel:
- Rough
- Soft
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Oblanceolate
- Oblong
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves are sessile to subclasping and reduce in size as they go upward. The lower leaves are ovate to lanceolate, the upper leaves are smaller and linear. Up to 10" long, soft-hairy to rough.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Stems are typically unbranched and crowded with leaves.
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Landscape:
- Design Feature:
- Specimen
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Diseases
- Heat
- Insect Pests
