Liatris spicata
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Spiked Blazing-star, Gayfeather
Asteraceae (Compositae)
Plant Specifics
| Form: | Flower | |
| Size: | ft | |
| Life Span: | Short-lived perennial | |
| Flower Color: | Rose, purple | |
| Fruit Color: | White | |
| Phenology: | Winter dormant | |
| Noted for: | Showy flowers |
Landscaping
| Recommended Uses: | Wildflower garden. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Considerations: | Sometimes the flower stalks are too tall and heavy to stand. Can be cut back mid-summer to reduce height. In a large garden, the twisted fallen stalks can be an interesting feature. Could also be staked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Propagation: | Seed. Easily grown. Seeds are available through the Florida Wildflowers Growers Cooperative. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Availability: | Native nurseries, Seed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Light: | Full Sun | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: |
always floodedextremely dry |
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| (Somewhat moist, no flooding ----- to ----- Not wet but not extremely dry) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: | Somewhat moist, no flooding ----- to ----- Not wet but not extremely dry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Water Flooding Tolerance: | Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance: | Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil or other substrate: | Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil pH: | Acidic to neutral | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ecology
| Wildlife: |
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| Insects: | Attracts butterflies and bees. | |
| Native Habitats: | Mesic to wet flatwoods, seep slopes, bogs, savannas, ditches, cutthroat seeps, bogs, boggy swamps. |
Distribution and Planting Zones
Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones
Suitable to grow in:
10A 10B 8A 8B 9A 9B
USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures