Sun Exposure: Sun - Part Sun
Soil Moisture: Medium, Medium-Dry, Dry
Soil Type: Sand, Loam, Clay, Gravely, does well in nutrient poor soil
Height: 2 - 3 feet
Spread: 1 foot
Blooms: July, August, September
Root: Corm
Habitat: Prairies, Savannas, Rocky Upland Forests
Landscape uses: Pollinator gardens, Drought Tolerant, Rock Garden, Low-growing dry meadows
Complimentary Plants: Wild Quinine, White Goldenrod, Sky Blue Aster and Little Bluestem
Wildlife Value: Primarily long-tongued bees, butterflies, skippers, and bee flies visit the flowers. Butterfly visitors include Monarchs, Painted Ladies, Black Swallowtails, Sulfurs, and others.
Seed Origin: Winona, MN (Prairie Moon seed supplier)
Germination Code: C(60)
Photo credits: #1 by USFWSmidwest, #2 by USFWS Mountain-Prairie, #3 by Kristine Paulus, #4 by Eric Hunt
Liatris aspera - Rough Blazingstar
Liatris aspera is a drought tolerant Blazingstar which does well with well-drained dry to medium soils, or sandy and rocky conditions. For more moist areas, or locations where the soil remains consistently wet during winter, plant Liatris spicata - Dense Blazing Star.
Covered with lavender blooms in late summer, Rough Blazing Star is pollinator magnet - visited my butterflies, bees and even hummingbirds. This species is shorter than other Liatris species, getting up to 3 feet tall. Plant with other shorter species, with short grasses in between such as prairie dropseed and little bleustem, or infront of taller plants in a pollinator garden.