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Simple Steps for Growing Liatris Spicata Blazing Star is very easy to grow and care for in your garden if you place it where it likes to be. Liatris Spicata is a native perennial that happens to be very drought tolerant. Some varieties of Liatris have roots that can reach 10 feet deep [1] (~3m), and Liatris Spicata is very similar. The main consideration here is that it needs well drained soil. But in a nutshell, Blazing Star will grow well and require almost no care if you meet the growing conditions/requirements we will address below. OUTLINE FOR SIMPLE STEPS FOR GROWING LIATRIS SPICATA: GROWING CONDITIONS & REQUIREMENTS FACTS & GENERAL DESCRIPTION GROWING FROM SEED or CORMS/BULBS DIVIDING GROWING IN POTS HARVESTING SEEDS GARDEN USES REFERENCE TABLE LIATRIS SPICATA - BLAZING STAR GROWING CONDITIONS- Grow Blazing Star in full sun, at least 6 hours per day for the showiest flowers. But it will grow in partial sun (3-6 hrs/day). But won't get as showy/tall/full. Liatris needs well drained soil, as the roots will rot in swampy/boggy soil This plant may require watering during extreme drought. If leaf edges start to get brown/crispy, then it needs water. Older plants may need to be divided to keep them looking showy It will grow well in zones 4-9, check your garden zone here Space plants 12-18" apart (30-50 cm), so you can pack them in tight initially If growing from corms (easiest method), plant them about 3" deep (8 cm) If grown from seed, Blazing Star will bloom the second year Stalks will reach heights of 4' (1.3m) in ideal conditions, and the grassy base will reach around 2-3' Blazing Star / Liatris Growing Requirements I have found this plant to be hardy. As any plant that survives on the prairie tends to be quite tough and adapted for most of North America. My Liatris Spicata / Blazing Star have done great in clay soil, with minimal maintenance. Actually – no maintenance. I don’t even water them much during drought. I’ve found references stating that roots of other Liatris can go 10’ (3 m) deep, so that might explain why it is so drought tolerant. So far I haven’t seen any disease on my plants, and I’ve grown them for several years. So far the only risk I have found is rabbits. For example rabbits will eat these plants when they are young/small. I've woken up in the morning to a bunch of stubs, where yesterday I had healthy Liatris Spicata seedlings. So you should apply liquid fence or some other rabbit repellent that can help keep them big and healthy until the Liatris Spicata blooms. This is a wonderful plant that you absolutely should grow. For instance, just getting to see all the birds pick seed off is worth growing 5-10 specimens. As far as how many you should plant - I say the more the merrier since their spacing is so small. In our front bed I have 15 plants in a densely packed circle. This makes a magnificent display when they are all blooming. Also, this plant blooms top to bottom, and because the stalk tends to be quite long, your bloom time is long too! For instance, last year I think the Liatris bloomed for about 2 months. But don't forget to check out our reference table on Blazing Star at the end of this article! Blazing Star - Facts and General Description Blazing Star, Liatris Spicata is a flower that blooms beautiful purple stalks for about a month to six weeks in early Summer. It is a tall native perennial flower with large purple spike blooms. As it is adapted for prairie, this plant is very hardy, beautiful, and a favorite of hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators. This plant can tolerate a wide variety of soils and conditions. Having long lasting blooms that will show for a month make Liatris Spicata gorgeous when planted en mass. I have multiple specimens in our micro-prairie in our backyard. Side note* You don't need a huge area to start a micro prairie....and it is really helpful to your local pollinator population. See how to start your own micro-prairie here ==>>https://growitbuildit.com/how-to-make-a-micro-prairie/ How tall/big does Blazing Star grow? Blazing star will look like a clump of ornamental grass with 1-5 (typically) stalks shooting up. The base, grass part will be (more…)