A.k.a. savannah blazing star. A taller, adaptable blazing star whose thistle-like flowers are favored by butterflies. Tolerates poor soil, but adapts to fertile soils where it grows taller. Tall plants generally require staking.

Light: Full Sun, Part Sun/Shade

Soil Moisture: Mesic, Dry Mesic, Dry

Soil Type: Adaptable

Height: 2'-5’

Bloom Color: Purple

Bloom Time: Aug-Sep

Root Type: Corm

Notable Wildlife Interactions: Flowers attract mainly butterflies and skippers. Hosts some moths such as the bleeding flower moth, glorious flower moth, and blazing star borer moth. Foliage is readily eaten by mammalian herbivores, and small mammals may eat the corms.

Notes: Liatris scariosa var. nieuwlandii is an uncommon, naturally occurring variety of Liatris scariosa found through much the same range. Var. nieuwlandii varies little from the typical expression of the species, but tends to be slightly taller, have slightly larger flowers with more florettes, and tolerates more part shade than is typical for the species.