Tall Blazing Star: A Prairie Princess for Your Native Garden
If you’re looking to add some serious vertical drama to your native garden, let me introduce you to tall blazing star (Liatris aspera var. intermedia). This stunning North American native is like nature’s own purple exclamation point, standing tall and proud while beckoning butterflies from miles around.
What Makes Tall Blazing Star Special?
Tall blazing star is a perennial forb – which is just a fancy way of saying it’s an herbaceous plant that comes back year after year without any woody stems. What sets this beauty apart from other flowers is its unique blooming pattern: unlike most plants that bloom from bottom to top, blazing star flowers open from the top down, creating a cascading effect of purple-pink blooms that’s absolutely mesmerizing.
This variety goes by the scientific name Liatris aspera var. intermedia, and you might occasionally see it listed under its synonym Lacinaria squarrosa var. intermedia in older gardening references.
Where Does It Call Home?
Tall blazing star is a true North American native, naturally occurring across a impressive range that spans from Canada down through much of the eastern and central United States. You’ll find wild populations flourishing in states including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, plus Ontario, Canada.
Why Your Garden (and Local Wildlife) Will Love It
There are plenty of reasons to fall head-over-heels for tall blazing star:
- Pollinator magnet: Butterflies absolutely adore these nectar-rich blooms, and you’ll also see bees and other beneficial insects visiting regularly
- Low maintenance: Once established, this prairie native is remarkably drought-tolerant and requires minimal care
- Vertical interest: The tall flower spikes add wonderful structure to garden beds and naturalistic plantings
- Long blooming period: Flowers typically last for several weeks in late summer to early fall
- Native authenticity: You’re supporting local ecosystems by choosing plants that evolved right in your backyard
Perfect Garden Settings
Tall blazing star truly shines in prairie gardens and wildflower meadows, where it can mingle with other native grasses and flowers in a naturalistic setting. It’s also fantastic in pollinator gardens, native plant borders, and anywhere you want to create a more relaxed, cottage garden feel. The vertical spikes work beautifully as background plants or scattered throughout a mixed planting for rhythm and repetition.
Growing Conditions That Make It Happy
Like most prairie plants, tall blazing star isn’t particularly fussy about its growing conditions, but it does have some preferences:
- Sunlight: Full sun is ideal – at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily
- Soil: Well-drained soil is essential; it can handle poor soils but doesn’t like wet feet
- Water: Drought-tolerant once established, though regular water during the first growing season helps it get settled
- Climate: Hardy in USDA zones 3-8, making it suitable for most temperate regions
Planting and Care Tips
Getting tall blazing star established in your garden is refreshingly straightforward:
- Timing: Plant in fall or early spring when temperatures are cool
- Spacing: Allow 12-18 inches between plants to give them room to develop
- First year care: Water regularly during the first growing season to help establish strong roots
- Ongoing maintenance: Very little needed! You can deadhead spent flowers if you prefer a tidier look, or leave them for wildlife to enjoy the seeds
- Division: Plants may benefit from division every 3-4 years if clumps become congested
A Few Things to Keep in Mind
Tall blazing star can self-seed in favorable conditions, which is generally a good thing in naturalistic gardens but something to consider if you prefer more controlled plantings. The plants may also take a year or two to really hit their stride, so be patient with young plantings.
The Bottom Line
If you’re looking to create a garden that celebrates North American native plants while providing excellent habitat for pollinators, tall blazing star deserves a spot on your plant list. It’s beautiful, beneficial, and remarkably easy to grow once you understand its simple needs. Plus, there’s something deeply satisfying about watching butterflies dance around flowers that have been gracing this landscape for thousands of years.
Whether you’re creating a full prairie restoration or just want to add some native flair to your existing garden beds, tall blazing star offers that perfect combination of beauty, function, and ecological value that makes native gardening so rewarding.
