Summary ²

Liatris scariosa, commonly called northern blazing star, is an upright, clump-forming perennial that typically grows to 2-4’ tall in the wild. It is native from Maine to Wisconsin south to Mississippi and Georgia.

Description ²

Family:
Asteraceae (Aster)

Height:
2 to 4 feet

Leaves:
Flowering stems rise up from basal tufts of rough, narrow, ovate to lanceolate, green leaves (to 10” long). Stem leaves (up to 3” long) are much smaller

Flower:
Northern blazing star has fluffy, thistle-like, reddish-purple flower heads

Bloom time:
August-October

Habitat:
Thrives in meadow and prairie environments, with full sun, in central and eastern United States

Wildlife Benefits:
Attracts birds, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators

References:
https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=277447&isprofile=0&

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Jason S, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), http://www.flickr.com/photos/arghman/2829245272/
2. (c) Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

• iNaturalistAU taxon page
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• eFloras.org
• Flora of North America (beta)
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
• IPNI (with links to POWO, WFO, and BHL)
• Maryland Biodiversity Project
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• SEINet Symbiota portals
• Tropicos
• USDA PLANTS database
• VASCAN by Canadensys
• World Flora Online

iNaturalistAU Map