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Liatris aspera January 2016 Plant of the Month

Liatris aspera January 2016 Plant of the Month

native garden, pollinator garden, landscape design, perennial garden

 

Back to posting Plant of the Month landscape plants. Know What You Grow now has over 300 of my favorite plants that I use in my landscape projects. Visit stonepocket.com to check it out. Now to the good stuff.

I choose a plant that has been a rock star in attracting Monarch butterflies during the mid-summer months. Liatris aspera, Rough Blazing Star, has had so many Monarchs eating nectar that the stem started to bend. Anyone wishing to help the Monarchs must plant Rough Blazing Star. Please also plants lots of milkweed also.

BOTANICAL NAME Liatris aspera
COMMON NAME Rough Blazing Star
DESCRIPTION Minnesota native perennial found in prairies, open woods, and along roads and railroad tracks. Upright, clump forming plant with rounded, fluffy rose-purple flower heads terminating at the top of rigid, leafy stalks.
FAMILY Asteraceae
HEIGHT 3 feet
WIDTH 1 feet
HABIT Upright
ZONES 3 to 8
EXPOSURE Full Sun
FLOWER COLOR Purple
BLOOM SEASON Summer
COMPANION PLANTS Heliopsis Eupatorium, Echinacea, Schizachyrium, Echinacea
GROWING AND MAINTENANCE TIPS Easily grown in dry-medium soils in full sun. Tolerant of poor soils, drought, and summer heat. Clean-up in early spring.
NOTES Perennial border, native gardens. Attracts birds and butterflies.