Rocky Mountain Blazing Star
Liatris ligulistylus
One of the best monarch plants you can grow. Large rose-purple flower heads peak in August, right at the height of the fall migration.
Typically 1 pint–1 gal · $9–$30 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
The monarch specialist's Liatris. larger flower heads, precisely timed August bloom at peak migration, and documented monarch attraction that surpasses most other blazing star species.
Rocky Mountain Blazing Star has a reputation among monarch enthusiasts as one of the single best monarch plants you can grow. The individual flower heads are larger than most Liatris species, making the rich rose-purple spikes especially showy, and they time their bloom in August to coincide precisely with the peak of the monarch fall migration. A single clump in bloom will draw monarchs from a remarkable distance. Though native to the plains rather than the Atlantic region, it adapts well to eastern gardens given well-drained soil and full sun. The grassy foliage is attractive through the season and the plant develops into a substantial clump over years. For gardeners serious about monarch habitat, this is the Liatris species to prioritize.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown rocky mountain blazing star propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Dry
- Mature size
- 2–3 ft · 12–18 in wide
- Bloom time
- August–September
- USDA zones
- 3–7
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Native range
- Central North America. short-grass and mixed-grass prairies from Wisconsin to Montana south to New Mexico and Kansas
Care notes for rocky mountain blazing star.
Plant in full sun in dry to average, very well-drained soil. Rocky Mountain Blazing Star is somewhat less tolerant of wet clay than Liatris spicata. good drainage is important, especially through winter. Leave seed heads for birds through fall. Cut back in early spring. Divide corm clusters every four to five years. Extremely drought tolerant once established.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside rocky mountain blazing star.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.