Grass-leaved Blazing Star
Liatris pilosa
Fine grassy foliage, then dense purple-pink spikes in late summer that pull in monarchs and swallowtails. Goldfinches strip the winter seed heads.
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
Fine-textured blazing star for sandy and dry soils that monarchs find reliably in late summer.
Grass-leaved blazing star is the low-maintenance Liatris for dry, sandy soils. The grass-like leaves are narrow and fine-textured, forming a wispy basal clump before tall spikes of deep purple-pink buttons appear in late summer and fall. The flowers are dense and closely clustered along the upper third of each spike, drawing monarchs and swallowtails in numbers that make this one of the most effective butterfly plants in the fall garden. It's shorter and more compact than some other blazing stars, which makes it easier to fit into mixed borders and container plantings without staking. The dried stalks stand through winter, holding goldfinches who strip the seeds through January. An adaptable, high-value native for sandy or lean soils where other Liatris species underperform.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown grass-leaved 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
- 1.5–3 ft · 12–18 in wide
- USDA zones
- 4–9
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Native range
- Eastern United States from New Jersey south to Florida and west to Tennessee and Mississippi, primarily in dry, sandy soils
Care notes for grass-leaved blazing star.
Full sun in dry to average, sharply drained soil. Thrives in sandy and lean conditions that would rot most perennials. Do not amend soil heavily before planting. Cut back in spring or leave stalks for birds. Division is rarely needed.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside grass-leaved 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’.