Liatris scariosa aka Northern Gayfeather

Liatris scariosa is a perennial in the daisy family. It lives for more than one year. People call it eastern blazingstar or tall gayfeather. It comes from the eastern and midwestern United States. Its range starts in Maine and Wisconsin. It reaches south to Georgia and Mississippi. It grows in dry woods, clearings, and prairies. It also grows on rocky slopes and streamside gravel.

Plants form upright clumps and grow at a moderate rate. NC State lists heights of 1.5–3 feet (0.46–0.91 metres). Both garden sources give heights up to 5 feet (1.52 metres). Missouri Botanical Garden lists wild heights of 2–4 feet (0.61–1.22 metres). Clumps spread 1–2 feet (0.30–0.61 metres) wide. Green stems have hairs and many leaves but few branches. The leaves are simple, not split into leaflets. They grow in turn along the stem and have smooth edges. Lower leaves are oval to lance-shaped. Leaves grow smaller and narrower farther up the stem. They may feel softly hairy or rough. The longest reach about 0.83 feet (0.25 metres).

Flowers bloom from summer into fall. Missouri Botanical Garden lists August–October as the bloom time. Flowers may be purple, rose-pink, or white. Each head holds many small, tube-shaped disk flowers. Style branches stick out and give each head a fringe. Short stalks space the heads along the flower stem. Heads at the top open before those lower down. Bees and butterflies visit the flowers. Hummingbirds and other pollinators visit them too. Small, oval fruits called achenes form in fall. They range from cream to tan. The seeds have tufts of barbed hairs.

Grow this plant in full sun with soil that drains well. NC State also lists light shade as a suitable choice. It grows in sandy or rocky soil and in loam. It copes with poor soil, drought, summer heat, and humidity. Wet soil in winter does not suit it. Rich loam may yield taller stems that need support. It grows in USDA zones 3–8 and needs little upkeep. Growers can split plants or start them from corms. Plants grown from seed may take several years to establish.

Use it in borders, meadows, native gardens, or groups. Tall stems add height when the late flowers bloom. Cut flowers work fresh or in dried displays. Plants may spread by seed into open ground. Serious pests and diseases are rare. Root-knot nematodes sometimes harm plants in southern gardens. Older stems may lean and need stakes. Plants For A Future lists no known edible uses or hazards. It notes use of the roots as medicine. These uses do not prove that the roots are safe or effective.