Prairie Blazing Star

Liatris pycnostachya

The tallest blazing star, a five-foot torch of purple over the high-summer prairie.

the Midwestthe Great Plainsthe South-Central regionthe Southeast

Growing Prairie Blazing Star

Wants full sun and good drainage; may need support in rich soil. Monarchs and tiger swallowtails work it relentlessly. It’s deer-resistant, drought-tolerant, showy, and a good cut flower.

Where it grows

Prairie Blazing Star is native to the Midwest. In the wild you’ll find it across Alabama · Arkansas · Colorado · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas and 24 more states. Always confirm it suits your specific county with your state native plant society before planting.

Regional Garden shows Prairie Blazing Star on 34 state pages.

Good for

Pollinators For bees Butterflies Deer-resistant Full sun Drought-tolerant

Sourcing

Where to buy Prairie Blazing Star

Seeds & live plants on Amazon

Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.

Browse on Amazon

Some links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.

Plant it with

Companions & kin.

Natives that share Prairie Blazing Star’s range and conditions.

Perennial wildflower

Stiff Goldenrod

Solidago rigida

A prairie goldenrod with flat-topped flower heads that double as a butterfly landing pad.

Full sun
Dry–average
3–5 ft
Blooms Aug–Oct

Perennial wildflower

Blue Vervain

Verbena hastata

Candelabras of tiny violet flowers for wet ground, working for small native bees all summer.

Full–part sun
Average–wet
3–5 ft
Blooms Jul–Sep

Perennial wildflower

Culver's Root

Veronicastrum virginicum

Elegant white candelabra spires that bring vertical structure and a haze of bees to midsummer.

Full–part sun
Average–wet
3–5 ft
Blooms Jun–Aug

Perennial wildflower

Dense Blazing Star

Liatris spicata

Vertical wands of magenta that open top-down and pull in every swallowtail in the neighborhood.

Full sun
Average–wet
2–4 ft
Blooms Jul–Aug