A.k.a. northern plains blazing star and Rocky Mountain gayfeather*. A striking liatris oft touted as a “Monarch magnet”! This adaptable blazing star blooms densely in purple clumps, and is attractive to pollinators, particularly butterflies. Will adapt to fertile soils, but may need to be staked. Visually very similar and difficult to tell apart from savannah blazing stars.

Light: Full Sun

Soil Moisture: Wet Mesic, Mesic, Dry Mesic

Soil Type: Dry, Sandy, Rocky, Adaptable

Height: 3’-5’

Bloom Color: Purple

Bloom Time: July-Sep

Root Type: Corm

Notable Wildlife Interactions: Flowers attract mainly butterflies and skippers, may be occasionally visited by hummingbirds. Liatris are known to host several species of moth including the bleeding flower moth and blazing star borer moth. Foliage is readily eaten by mammalian browsers, and corms are occasionally eaten by voles.

*As the alternate common names suggest, its modern range is primarily in the eastern Rocky Mountains and northern Great Plains. It is found in scattered counties in Illinois, a Smithsonian specimen was collected in Michigan in 1919, and it is considered native in Indiana in areas near recorded Illinois populations, primarily in the north of the state near Lake Michigan. Very similar to the more state common savanna blazing star.