Liatris are much more than just a cut flower

Most of us know Liatris as cut-flowers. Long, purple floral spikes of Liatris can be found in everything from high-end arrangements to basic supermarket bouquets. The good news for gardeners is that Liatris is much more than a cut-flower. It is, in fact, a group of wonderfully diverse and easy-to-grow perennials that can brighten up the outside of your home just as beautifully as they can the inside.
Liatris belong to the Aster family, and are composed of around 40 different species. Common names include gayfeather and blazing star. Most of the species are prairie or grassland natives from the US and have stiff, erect, two- to five-foot stems and grasslike leaves.
The flowers (technically “flower heads” composed of multiple florets, or tiny flowers) are generally wispy purple, sometimes white, and they cover the top third of the stems in dense clusters from early Summer to late Autumn, depending on the species.
One of the reasons they are such popular cut flowers is their unusual mode of blooming. Unlike most plants with a similar inflorescence, they bloom from the top of their flower spikes downward.
Because of their vertical nature, Liatris take up minimal space and are suitable for even the smallest garden. They are equally at home in large, established perennial borders, where their thin, tall, airy floral wands create a mesmerising “pop-up” effect.
Liatris generally prefer full sun and well-drained soil that’s not too fertile. They are usually pest free.
There’s probably nothing more versatile and easy to grow in the garden than Liatris blazing star plants (Liatris species). These 1 to 5 feet tall plants emerge from mounds of narrow, grass-like leaves.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

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