Prairie Blazing Star, Liatris pycnostachya Michx., Native Minnesota wildflowers of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden

Blazing Stars of the Liatris genus have general characteristics of: Stem leaves narrow and lance shaped, the flower heads appear on a spike. Heads may be composed of 5 to 60 small tubular 5-lobed purple flowers. L. pycnostachya grows from 2 to 4' high and has leafy and hairy stems up to the flower spike. Leaves are linear and up to 1/2" wide. Similar to L. spicata, flower heads densely pack the spike but each head has only 5 to 7 flowers. Flower heads open from the top of the stem downward. The flower head bracts are tapering to pointed tips and curve outward. Heads are stalkless. L. spicata has rounded bract tips that also curve outward. L. spicata and L. pycnostachya are difficult to distinguish without close inspection.

	Plants of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
	Common Name	Scientific Name	Plant Family	Garden Location	Prime Season
	Prairie Blazing Star	Liatris pycnostachya Michx.	Aster	Upland	Late summer to Autumn
Other names and notes	Blazing Stars of the Liatris genus have general characteristics of: Stem leaves narrow and lance shaped, the flower heads appear on a spike. Heads may be composed of 5 to 60 small tubular 5-lobed purple flowers. L. pycnostachya grows from 2 to 4' high and has leafy and hairy stems up to the flower spike. Leaves are linear and up to 1/2" wide. Similar to L. spicata, flower heads densely pack the spike but each head has only 5 to 7 flowers. Flower heads open from the top of the stem downward. The flower head bracts are tapering to pointed tips and curve outward. Heads are stalkless. L. spicata has rounded bract tips that also curve outward. L. spicata and L. pycnostachya are difficult to distinguish without close inspection.