Rough Blazing Star, Liatris aspera Michx., Wildflowers of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden

	Plants of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
	Common Name	Scientific Name	Plant Family	Garden Location	Prime Season
	Rough Blazing Star	Liatris aspera Michx.	Aster (Asteraceae)	Upland	Autumn
Other names and notes	(Rough Gayfeather, Tall Blazing Star). Blazing Stars of the Liatris genus have general characteristics of: Stem leaves narrow and lance shaped, the flower heads appear on a spike contain 5 to 60 small tubular 5-lobed purple flowers. L. aspera can grow from 16 to 48" high. The leaves are long, less than 1" wide with the lower leaves on long stalks. Flower heads, numbering from 10 or more, are all the same size, about 1" wide, they are not densely packed, and contain 14 to 35 flowers 5-lobed pink-purple flowers. The middle bracts of the heads have wide irregularly cut edges and rounded tips. Buds open from the top of spike and move downward. Liatris prefers full sun in well drained soil.


Above: Left and center - flower heads of L. aspera. Right - a stem showing the spacing of flower heads. You will generally find this species blooming in August to early September.
	Left: Flower buds developing - not the long head stalks. Right: Flower head open from the top of the spike downward.

Below: A single flower head showing the bracts.	Below: Middle stem leaves.

Notes: None of the Liatris are indigenous to the Garden area. This species is native to Minnesota, occurring in most counties except the NE quadrant. It was not listed on Martha Crone's 1951 Garden census but was present at the time of 1986 census.

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References: Plant characteristics are generally from sources 15, 16, 30, 31, 33, W2 & W3. Distribution principally from W2 and also 31, 34 and W1. Planting history generally from 1, 4 & 4a. Other sources by specific reference. See Reference List for details.

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