Devil's Bite Liatris scariosa
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- ly-AY-tris skay-ree-OH-sah
- Description
-
Blazing star is an erect perennial in the Asteraceae (daisy) family. It is clump-forming and grows up to 2 feet wide and 1.5 to 3 feet tall. Blooms appear midsummer to fall and flowers are fimbriated or dissected due to the protruding style branches. This Liatris has distinctive extra large flower heads, on long peduncles. The number of florets per head is greater than in most of the other blazing stars. The stems are stiff, erect, and loaded with short, grass-like leaves.
This plant requires full sun to light shade in well-drained soils. It is tolerant of heat loads and is intolerant of wet winter soils. It is best grown from corms rather than seeds.
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. It adds a tall vertical accent to the back of the border.
Quick ID Hints:
- Tall, unbranched grassy stems
- Terminal spike of small heads
- Flowers are tubular and fringe-looking
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This plant has no serious pest or disease problems. Root-knot nematodes an occasional problem in southern gardens. Stems may need staking as they often lean with age.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- var. nieuwlandii
Found in north eastern and north central USA
- var. nieuwlandii
- var. nieuwlandii
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- var. nieuwlandii
Found in north eastern and north central USA
- var. nieuwlandii
- var. nieuwlandii
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Liatris
- Species:
- scariosa
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern and mid-western U.S.A
- Distribution:
- AL , AR , CT , DE , GA , IL , IN , MA , MD , ME , MI , MO , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , RI , SC , TN , VA , WI , WV
- Wildlife Value:
- Pollinators are attracted to the flowers
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Wildflower
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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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 Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Cream/Tan
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Achene
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Oval achene with seeds that have tufts of barbed hairs
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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 Size:
- < 1 inch
- 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 Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Rough
- Soft
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Oblanceolate
- Oblong
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- 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 Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Stems are typically unbranched and crowded with leaves.
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-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Cutting Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Small groups
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Diseases
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Heat
- Humidity
- Insect Pests
