Description

A striking accent for the garden with its architectural structure and tassels of pollinator attracting flowers! An erect, slender perennial with linear, grass-like leaves and a showy flower. The tall spikes of rayless closely set flower heads bloom from the top down. Protruding styles give the flower an overall feathery appearance. Tolerant of much (poor soils, heat, humidity, and some drought), but avoid wet winter soils. Attracts bird, butterflies and hummingbirds, and is a special value to our native bees. L. ligulistylis is a shorter plant than the more common L. spicata but with the same general appearance and the same pollinator attraction. Its bloom color can lean toward magenta, and the tufted blossoms often appear all at once along the stems (as opposed to L. spicata which blooms from the top down). The erect, leafy stems are often reddish and clothed in short hairs. Height: 1-3 ft. Spread: 0.5-2 ft. Family: Asteraceae Bloom time: July to September Sun: full sun Water: dry to medium According to Rutgers University, Liatris are “seldom severely damaged” by deer. photo credit: NPGallery