Liatris ligulistylis

Liatris ligulistylis, also known as the Rocky Mountain Blazing Star, is a botanical species that grows and blooms in the upper Midwest and Western Canada. Its feathery flower spikes are a beautiful purple-pink colour, perhaps the most beautiful among the Liatris, and charm both the gardener and butterflies for several weeks in the second half of summer. In nature, this flower is a favourite of the Monarch butterfly. It is a hardy perennial plant with a tuberous rootstock that easily grows in well-drained soil with little maintenance. It looks very attractive in a wildflower meadow, a natural bed, or a large border.

Liatris ligulistylis belongs to the Aster family, it is related to asters, as well as Vernonia. Its above-ground growth, which is deciduous, emerges in spring. This plant forms an upright clump composed of leafy stems. Eventually, it reaches about 80 cm (32in) in height when in full bloom (sometimes more depending on growing conditions), and 40 to 50 cm (16 to 20in) wide at the base. The stems, which may require staking in windy gardens, bear thin, linear leaves with a whitish midvein, initially bright green and turning bronze in autumn. Flowering begins around the end of July, earlier or later depending on the climate. It lasts for 6 weeks. In the upper part of the stems, rounded flower heads appear in loose spikes. Each flower head is composed of 30 to 100 tubular petals. Long and finely lobed, they are a dark pink-purple colour and give the flower heads their beautiful feathery appearance. The flowers begin to open from the top rather than the base. These flowers are nectar-rich and attracts many pollinating insects. After pollination, sought-after seeds are formed, particularly by goldfinches.

This perennial plant has a compact, rhizomatous rootstock resembling a corm, which allows some to sell them 'dried' like a bulbous plant. However, Liatris rhizomes do not tolerate prolonged drying out, so we have chosen to sell them in their soil ball.

This Liatris ligulistylis, adorned with large colourful plumes, is a unique, airy, and useful border plant. For example, combine it with Blue Heaven or Little Carlow asters, Pink Cloud or Shneetanne ericoides asters, baptisias, and tall grasses like panicums or miscanthus, plants that also love the sun. The Rocky Mountain Blazing Star also makes a great impact near water features, with lythrums, kniphofias, and other Vernonia.