FNPS Plant Database

Liatris spicata

spiked blazing-star, gayfeather

PHOTOS COMING SOON!

Nomenclature

Common Name:

spiked blazing-star, gayfeather

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Liatris spicata

Family:

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Plant Specifics

Form:

flower

Size:

ft

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

rose, purple

Fruit Color:

white

Phenology:

winter dormant

Noted For:

Showy Flowers

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Wildflower garden.

Considerations:

Sometimes the flower stalks are too tall and heavy to stand. Can be cut back mid-summer to reduce height. In a large garden, the twisted fallen stalks can be an interesting feature. Could also be staked.

Availability:

Native Nurseries, Seed

Propagation:

Seed. Easily grown. Seeds are available through the Florida Wildflowers Growers Cooperative.

Light:

Full Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

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

Coming Soon!

Somewhat moist, no flooding ---to--- Not wet but not extremely dry

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

Soil pH:

Acidic to neutral

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B,10A,10B

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



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Butterflies

Attracts butterflies and bees.

Native Habitats:

Mesic to wet flatwoods, seep slopes, bogs, savannas, ditches, cutthroat seeps, bogs, boggy swamps.

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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