Blazing Star: The Elusive Liatris ×ridgwayi
If you’ve stumbled across the name Liatris ×ridgwayi while browsing native plant lists, you’ve discovered one of North America’s botanical unicorns. This rare blazing star hybrid is so uncommon that even seasoned native plant enthusiasts might never encounter it in the wild—or in cultivation, for that matter.
What Makes This Blazing Star Special?
Liatris ×ridgwayi is what botanists call a natural hybrid, indicated by that little × symbol in its name. This perennial forb represents a rare cross between two Liatris species, creating something truly unique in the blazing star family. Like other members of its genus, it’s an herbaceous perennial that dies back to the ground each winter and returns the following spring.
Where in the World Can You Find It?
Here’s where things get interesting (and a bit disappointing if you were hoping to add this to your garden). This rare blazing star is native to the United States, but its known distribution is extremely limited. Current records show it growing only in Illinois, making it one of the most geographically restricted blazing stars in North America.
The Reality Check: Why You Probably Shouldn’t Grow This One
Before you start scouring nurseries for Liatris ×ridgwayi, here’s the truth: you’re unlikely to find it anywhere. This plant’s extreme rarity means it’s not commercially available, and attempting to collect it from the wild would be both ecologically irresponsible and likely illegal.
The scarcity of this hybrid raises important conservation concerns. With such a limited distribution, every individual plant is precious for maintaining genetic diversity and the species’ survival. This is definitely a look but don’t touch situation.
Better Blazing Star Alternatives for Your Garden
Don’t let this rare find discourage you from growing blazing stars! There are plenty of other Liatris species that will give you that same spectacular late-summer show of purple spikes. Consider these more readily available options:
- Prairie Blazing Star (Liatris pycnostachya): Tall and dramatic with dense flower spikes
- Rough Blazing Star (Liatris aspera): Shorter with more open flower clusters
- Dense Blazing Star (Liatris spicata): The most commonly available in nurseries
What We Don’t Know (And Why That Matters)
Here’s what’s fascinating about Liatris ×ridgwayi: there’s so much we still don’t understand about it. Details about its specific growing conditions, wildlife benefits, exact appearance, and cultivation requirements remain largely unknown. This knowledge gap highlights just how rare and understudied this plant is.
The lack of information isn’t just academic—it has real conservation implications. Without understanding its habitat needs and ecological role, protecting this species becomes much more challenging.
The Bigger Picture
Liatris ×ridgwayi serves as a reminder of how much botanical diversity exists in our native flora, even in well-studied regions. It also highlights the importance of preserving natural habitats where such rare hybrids can occur and persist.
While you might not be able to grow this particular blazing star in your garden, you can still support native plant conservation by choosing other native Liatris species and supporting organizations that work to protect rare plant populations.
The Bottom Line
Liatris ×ridgwayi is one of those plants that’s more important for what it represents than for its garden potential. It’s a testament to nature’s creativity and a reminder that there are still botanical mysteries waiting to be fully understood, even in our own backyards.
Stick with the more common blazing stars for your garden, and leave this rare hybrid to the conservation botanists and researchers who are working to understand and protect it. Sometimes the best way to love a plant is to admire it from afar.
