FNPS Plant Database

Liatris elegans

blazing-star
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

blazing-star

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Liatris elegans

Family:

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Plant Specifics

Form:

flower

Size:

2-4 (6) ft tall by 1 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white,lavender

Fruit Color:

NA

Phenology:

Noted For:

Showy Flowers

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Wildflower garden.

Considerations:

Availability:

Propagation:

Seeds are available through the Florida Wildflowers Growers Cooperative.

Light:

Full Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Somewhat moist, no flooding -to- Somewhat long very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Loam

Soil pH:

acidic to neutral

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Butterflies, Hummingbirds

Attracts butterflies and bees.

Native Habitats:

Sandhill, mesic flatwoods.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Citations:

Hammer, Roger. 2015.  Attracting hummingbirds and butterflies in tropical Florida.  University Presses of Florida.



Huegel, Craig, N.  2012.  Native wildflowers and other ground covers for Florida landscapes. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.



Tras, Pamela.  2001.  Gardening for Florida's butterflies.  Great Outdoors Publishing, St. Petersburg, FL.



Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants (http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/).  Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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