scaly blazing star

Liatris squarrosa

The scaly blazing star is a beautiful flower that grows tall and has bright purple spikes. It attracts butterflies and bees, making gardens lively and colorful!

Habitat: Grasslands

Appearance

The scaly blazing star has sturdy, upright stems topped with distinctive purple-pink flower heads. Its unique feature is the recurved, scale-like bracts beneath each flower head, giving it a spiky, star-like appearance. Narrow, green leaves grow densely along the stem.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderAsteralesFamilyAsteraceaeGenusLiatris

Photo: Mason Brock ( Masebrock )Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsView original ↗

scaly blazing star

Interesting facts

Each 'flower' you see is actually a cluster of many tiny purple individual florets!

Its scientific name 'Liatris squarrosa' means 'scaly' because of its unique flower bracts!

Some people call it 'scaly gayfeather' because its blooms look like colorful, feathery plumes!

The plant's underground corm, similar to a bulb, can help it live for many years!

Special abilities

Scaly blazing star has a deep, tuberous root that stores water and nutrients, helping it survive long dry periods.

This plant has bright purple flowers packed with nectar, attracting a wide variety of busy insects for pollination.

Scaly blazing star can grow in poor, sandy, or clay soils where many other plants struggle, thanks to its resilience.

Measurements & details

Height: 30-90 cm
Spread: 15-30 cm
Flower Size: 1-2 cm
Bloom Season: Summer to fall
Edible: No
Toxicity: None
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Insect

Ecological connections

Pollinates

Monarch butterfly

Danaus plexippus

Feeds on nectar, helping pollination.

Pollinates

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Papilio glaucus

Visits flowers for nectar, aiding reproduction.

Pollinates

Common Eastern Bumble Bee

Bombus impatiens

Collects nectar and pollen.

Traits

Flowering

Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.

Summer Blooming

Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.

Drought Tolerant

Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability.

Colorful

Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.

Grassland

Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.

Pollinator Magnet

Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

Plants

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch flowers without asking an adult.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to identify scaly blazing star?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

How tall is scaly blazing star?

30-90 cm

How wide does scaly blazing star spread?

15-30 cm

How big are the flowers on scaly blazing star?

1-2 cm

When does scaly blazing star bloom?

Summer to fall

Is scaly blazing star edible?

Is scaly blazing star toxic?

None

What is scaly blazing star's lifecycle?