Liatris squarrulosa: Country Or Region Of Origin
Central and southeastern U.S.A.
Plant Profile: Liatris squarrulosa
Taxonomy: Liatris squarrulosaNames
Appalachian Blazing Star, Appalachian Gay Feather, Appalachian Liatris
Phonetic Spelling:
Genus:Liatris
Species:squarrulosa
Family:Asteraceae
The Appalachian Blazing Star is a perennial herb native to the daisy family, thriving in the meadows and prairies of the central and southeastern United States. In 1998, it was honored as the NC Wildflower of the Year, a recognition facilitated by the North Carolina Botanical Garden with support from the Garden Club of North Carolina.
This plant features clusters of small disc flowers that bloom on an unbranched stem from mid-summer through fall. It thrives in well-drained sandy to rocky loams and prefers full sunlight. Notably drought-resistant, the Appalachian Blazing Star is an excellent choice for the back of native pollinator gardens, as well as in cottage or rock gardens, where it attracts a variety of pollinators.
Liatris squarrulosa Feature Summary
Liatris squarrulosa Image Gallery
Tags
#purple flowers
#native perennial
#NC native
#food source fall
#nectar plant fall
#nectar plant mid-summer
#food source mid-summer
#sun
#NC Wildflower of the Year
#food source butterflies
Similar Plants
Liatris squarrulosa is often confused with:
Liatris squarrulosa Feature Summary
Attributes
Central and southeastern U.S.A.
AL, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MS, MO, NC, SC, TN, TX, WV
Attacts pollinators to the flowers
Perennial
Wildlife Food Source
Attracts Pollinators
Fruit
Tan achene with barbed hairs
Achene
Cream/Tan
< 1 inch
< 1 inch
Flowers
Multiple small disc flowers in button-like heads of pinkish-purple flowers. Individual tubular flowers have 5 petals and long stamens. The heads are either sessile or have short thick stems. The bracts are scale-like and green to tinged purple. Blooms July to October.
Pink
Purple/Lavender
Head
Spike
Summer
Fall
4-5 petals/rays
Tubular
< 1 inch
Leaves
The lower green leaves are narrow oblanceolate and up to 11 inches long and .5 inches wide. They become much smaller and oblanceolate to linear as they go alternately up the stem. They are sessile and smooth, hairy or scaly with a single midrib.
Green
Simple
Alternate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Entire
> 6 inches
Smooth
< 1 inch
Stem
The stems are ridged with short hairs and unbranched. They are green to purple-tinged near the top.
Purple/Lavender
Green
Round
Hairy (pubescent)
Straight
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Herbaceous Perennial
Native Plant
Erect
Clumping
Medium
Low
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
12 inches-3 feet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Landscape
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Rock Garden
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Cottage Garden
Native Garden
English Garden
Border
Small groups
Drought
Dry Soil
Poor Soil
Naturalized Area
Butterflies
Songbirds
Bees
Hummingbirds
Liatris squarrulosa Image Gallery
Liatris squarrulosa Attributes
Liatris squarrulosa: Distribution
AL, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MS, MO, NC, SC, TN, TX, WV
Liatris squarrulosa: Wildlife Value
Attacts pollinators to the flowers
Liatris squarrulosa: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Liatris squarrulosa: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Liatris squarrulosa: 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 squarrulosa Fruit
Liatris squarrulosa: Fruit Description
Tan achene with barbed hairs
Liatris squarrulosa: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Liatris squarrulosa: Fruit Color
Cream/Tan
Liatris squarrulosa: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Liatris squarrulosa: Fruit Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Liatris squarrulosa: Fruit Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Liatris squarrulosa Flowers
Liatris squarrulosa: Flower Description
Multiple small disc flowers in button-like heads of pinkish-purple flowers. Individual tubular flowers have 5 petals and long stamens. The heads are either sessile or have short thick stems. The bracts are scale-like and green to tinged purple. Blooms July to October.
Liatris squarrulosa: Flower Color
Pink
Purple/Lavender
Liatris squarrulosa: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Liatris squarrulosa: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Liatris squarrulosa: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Liatris squarrulosa: 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 squarrulosa: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Liatris squarrulosa: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Liatris squarrulosa Leaves
Liatris squarrulosa: Leaf Description
The lower green leaves are narrow oblanceolate and up to 11 inches long and .5 inches wide. They become much smaller and oblanceolate to linear as they go alternately up the stem. They are sessile and smooth, hairy or scaly with a single midrib.
Liatris squarrulosa: Leaf Color
Green
Liatris squarrulosa: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Liatris squarrulosa: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Liatris squarrulosa: 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 squarrulosa: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Liatris squarrulosa: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Liatris squarrulosa: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Liatris squarrulosa: Leaf Feel
Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy
Liatris squarrulosa: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Liatris squarrulosa Stem
Liatris squarrulosa: Stem Description
The stems are ridged with short hairs and unbranched. They are green to purple-tinged near the top.
Liatris squarrulosa: Stem Color
Green
Purple/Lavender
Liatris squarrulosa: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Liatris squarrulosa: Stem Cross Section
Angular
Oval
Round
Square
Liatris squarrulosa: Stem Surface
Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)
Liatris squarrulosa: Stem Form
Straight
Zig Zags
Liatris squarrulosa Whole Plant Traits
Liatris squarrulosa: 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 squarrulosa: 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 squarrulosa: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Liatris squarrulosa: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Liatris squarrulosa: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Liatris squarrulosa Cultural Conditions
Liatris squarrulosa: 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 squarrulosa: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Liatris squarrulosa: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Liatris squarrulosa: 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 squarrulosa: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Liatris squarrulosa: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Liatris squarrulosa: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Liatris squarrulosa Landscape
Liatris squarrulosa: 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 squarrulosa: 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 squarrulosa: 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 squarrulosa: 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 squarrulosa: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
