Blazing Star Adds Colour and Dimension

Saturday, August 07, 2010 03:57 AM

Liatris spicata also known as 'Blazing Star', or 'Spiked Gayfeather', is a must for the gardener if they enjoy creating their own floral arrangements from their garden. It is a hardy perennial which is easy to grow and requires very little maintenance.

They come from a North American prairie wildflower and are ideal for naturalizing. The cut flowers are commercially grown and sought after by many florists as they are long lasting and can also be used as dried flowers. The flowers consist of tall dense, spikes filled with many tiny fluffy florets that surround the spike, and the spikes can grow 45-90 cm depending on the variety.

The flowers are most commonly a bright purple/pink but there is also a white variety. A unique feature about the flower spikes is that they start to bloom from the top and slowly work themselves down making them look like fireworks or shooting stars, while most other spike flowers start from the bottom of the spike and work up!

Liatris are easy to grow and grow best in full sun. They are adaptable to a wide range of soils but prefer a well drained soil and are heat and drought tolerant. They are grown from bulbs but are also available in the perennial section of the garden centre as started plants.

Plants start off as clumps of attractive green grass like foliage and then the green spikes shoot above the foliage which in August open up to the flowers. Every 3-4 years the clumps should be divided and this is done in the spring. Carefully dig up the clump and pull apart the clump making sure that each piece has some roots, leaves and stem. Re-plant the pieces adding bonemeal to the bottom of the hole before placing the new plant in it and then after placing the soil around the plant give it a soaking of water.

Liatris will sometimes reseed themselves and the young seedlings can also be dug up and replanted or if you have too many of them they can be thrown out. Liatris are not often bothered by pests, disease, rabbits or deer, making them a low maintenance plant for the landscape and it can be used in flowerbeds, borders, or in a natural setting making it ideal for any location. The flowers supply nectar to butterflies so it is also a good choice if you have a butterfly garden.

When using the Liatris flower spikes as cut flowers, cut them when the top portion of the spike begins to bloom as this will make them last 2 weeks or more. Another tip to keeping the cut flowers lasting longer is by changing the water often before it becomes murky. The flowers can also be used in dry floral arrangements by picking the stems when the top half is in bloom and then hang the stem upside down.

Liatris spicata is a perennial that is certain to add colour and dimension to any landscape through their long lasting blooms!

- Jos

Jos Van Hage owns and operates two Art Knapp Garden Centres in Prince George:

Highway 16 west at Kimball Road
Highway 97 north at Northwood Pulpmill Road

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Blazing Star Adds Colour and Dimension

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