• Photo of Liatris squarrosa (Liatris squarrosas)

Plant Profile: Liatris squarrosa

Taxonomy: Liatris squarrosa

Names

Scaly Blazing-star, Scaly Liastris

  • Photo of Liatris squarrosa (Liatris squarrosas)

Phonetic Spelling:lie-A-tris skwa-RO-suh

Genus:Liatris

Species:squarrosa

Family:Asteraceae

The Scaly Blazing Star is a perennial wildflower indigenous to upland forests, blooming from late summer through fall. This plant typically reaches heights of 1 to 3 feet, emerging from corms, and features slender, linear leaves along with 1-inch flower heads adorned with squarish bracts that line a straight stem. It is known to attract a variety of pollinators, including hummingbirds, moths, and butterflies.

For optimal growth, cultivate this plant in well-drained sandy or rocky soil under full sunlight. It is well-suited for native pollinator gardens, where it can be planted in the middle border or in small clusters, and it also thrives in naturalized settings.

For further details on Liatris, please refer to additional resources.

Liatris squarrosa Feature Summary

Liatris squarrosa Image Gallery

Tags

#purple
#hummingbirds
#purple flowers
#moths
#NC native
#native garden
#rock gardens
#pollinator plant
#wildflower garden
#food source fall
#nectar plant fall
#food source nectar
#food source pollen
#food source hard mast fruit
#nectar plant mid-summer
#audubon

Similar Plants

Liatris squarrosa Feature Summary

Attributes
Eastern and central U.S.A
AL , AR , CO , DC , DE , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MD , MI , MO , MS , NC , NE , OH , OK , SC , SD , TN , TX , VA , WV
Attracts pollinators, moths, butterflies and hummingbirds
Perennial
Wildlife Food Source
Fruit
The fruit is an achene with tufts of barbed hairs
Cream/Tan
Flowers
Multiple small disc flowers are arranged in heads up to 1 inch wide and can be sparsely arranged up the stem. Individual flowers are purple/lavender and tubular in shape with 5 petals. The scaly bracts are either straight or recurved and loosely arranged around the base of each flowerhead. This is one of the earlier blooming Liatris plants and blooms from June to August.
Purple/Lavender
4-5 petals/rays
< 1 inch
Leaves
The green leaves are 4-6" long and about ¼" across and become gradually smaller as they go up the stem. They are smooth to short pubescent, sessile and linear in shape with entire margins.
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
Stem
The ridged green stems can be smooth or hairy.
Hairy (pubescent)
Straight
Whole Plant Traits
Native Plant
Wildflower
Erect
Clumping
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Acid (<6.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Occasionally Dry
12 inches-3 feet
Less than 12 inches
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Landscape
Drought Tolerant Garden
Rock Garden
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Native Garden
Border
Small groups
Drought
Dry Soil
Poor Soil
Naturalized Area
Butterflies
Pollinators
Songbirds
Bees
Moths
Hummingbirds

Liatris squarrosa Attributes

Liatris squarrosa: Country Or Region Of Origin

Eastern and central U.S.A

Liatris squarrosa: Distribution

AL , AR , CO , DC , DE , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MD , MI , MO , MS , NC , NE , OH , OK , SC , SD , TN , TX , VA , WV

Liatris squarrosa: Wildlife Value

Attracts pollinators, moths, butterflies and hummingbirds

Liatris squarrosa: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Liatris squarrosa: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Liatris squarrosa: Play Value

Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer

Liatris squarrosa Fruit

Liatris squarrosa: Fruit Description

The fruit is an achene with tufts of barbed hairs

Liatris squarrosa: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Liatris squarrosa: Fruit Color

grass
Cream/Tan

Liatris squarrosa: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Liatris squarrosa Flowers

Liatris squarrosa: Flower Description

Multiple small disc flowers are arranged in heads up to 1 inch wide and can be sparsely arranged up the stem. Individual flowers are purple/lavender and tubular in shape with 5 petals. The scaly bracts are either straight or recurved and loosely arranged around the base of each flowerhead. This is one of the earlier blooming Liatris plants and blooms from June to August.

Liatris squarrosa: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Purple/Lavender

Liatris squarrosa: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Liatris squarrosa: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Liatris squarrosa: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Liatris squarrosa: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Liatris squarrosa: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Liatris squarrosa Leaves

Liatris squarrosa: Leaf Description

The green leaves are 4-6" long and about ¼" across and become gradually smaller as they go up the stem. They are smooth to short pubescent, sessile and linear in shape with entire margins.

Liatris squarrosa: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Liatris squarrosa: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Liatris squarrosa: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Liatris squarrosa: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Liatris squarrosa: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Liatris squarrosa: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Liatris squarrosa: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Liatris squarrosa: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Liatris squarrosa: Leaf Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Liatris squarrosa Stem

Liatris squarrosa: Stem Description

The ridged green stems can be smooth or hairy.

Liatris squarrosa: Stem Color

grass
Green

Liatris squarrosa: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Liatris squarrosa: Stem Cross Section

Angular
Oval
Round
Square

Liatris squarrosa: Stem Surface

Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)

Liatris squarrosa: Stem Form

Straight
Zig Zags

Liatris squarrosa Whole Plant Traits

Liatris squarrosa: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Liatris squarrosa: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Liatris squarrosa: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Liatris squarrosa: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Liatris squarrosa: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Liatris squarrosa Cultural Conditions

Liatris squarrosa: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Liatris squarrosa: Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Liatris squarrosa: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Liatris squarrosa: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Liatris squarrosa: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Liatris squarrosa: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b

Liatris squarrosa: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Liatris squarrosa Landscape

Liatris squarrosa: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Liatris squarrosa: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Liatris squarrosa: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Liatris squarrosa: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Liatris squarrosa: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees