# 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! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![scaly blazing star](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Liatris_squarrosa.jpg&width=800) Photo: Mason Brock ( Masebrock ), Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Liatris_squarrosa.jpg) ## 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Asterales - **Family:** Asteraceae - **Genus:** Liatris ## 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 - **Drought Buster:** Scaly blazing star has a deep, tuberous root that stores water and nutrients, helping it survive long dry periods. - **Pollinator Beacon:** This plant has bright purple flowers packed with nectar, attracting a wide variety of busy insects for pollination. - **Tough Soil Thrive:** 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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — Feeds on nectar, helping pollination. - **Pollinates:** [Eastern Tiger Swallowtail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-tiger-swallowtail) (*Papilio glaucus*) — Visits flowers for nectar, aiding reproduction. - **Pollinates:** [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) — Collects nectar and pollen. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/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? No ### Is scaly blazing star toxic? None ### What is scaly blazing star's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [First Arthur County Courthouse and Jail](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/first-arthur-county-courthouse-and-jail) — Nebraska, US · Historic Site - [Knob Creek Farm](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/knob-creek-farm) — Kentucky, US · Historic Site - [Niobrara Valley Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/niobrara-valley-preserve) — Nebraska, US · Nature Reserve - [Manassas National Battlefield Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/manassas-national-battlefield-park) — Virginia, US · National Park [View all places to see scaly blazing star](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/scaly-blazing-star) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Scaly Blazing Star: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/scaly-blazing-star)