Gayfeather
Liatris spicata
Tall purple-rose spikes timed to the monarch migration, then goldfinches on the seed heads. Plant in groups of five for the full effect.
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 top monarch migration plant. dense purple spikes at peak fall migration timing, with goldfinch seed-head interest that extends wildlife value through winter.
Dense Blazing Star is one of the top five native perennials for monarch butterfly migration. The tall, densely flowered purple-rose spikes bloom in late summer precisely when monarchs are moving south, and a patch in full bloom will have butterflies working it for hours on a warm September afternoon. Goldfinches follow in October and November, pulling seeds from the dried heads with acrobatic efficiency. It grows from a corm and is remarkably adaptable, tolerating both moist and average garden soils and performing well in most full-sun positions. The upright habit works in formal borders and naturalistic plantings alike. Plant in groups of five or more for the best visual effect and maximum monarch attraction. One of the most reliably beautiful and ecologically important natives for the mid-Atlantic garden.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown gayfeather 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
- Average
- Mature size
- 2–4 ft · 12–18 in wide
- Bloom time
- August–September
- USDA zones
- 3–8
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Native range
- Eastern North America. moist prairies, meadows, and open woods from New York to Wisconsin south to Florida and Louisiana
Care notes for gayfeather.
Plant in full sun in well-drained, average to moist soil. Tolerates clay better than other Liatris species. Avoid chronically wet conditions. Leave seed heads standing through fall and winter for goldfinches. Cut back to the ground in early spring. Divide corms every four to five years in spring if blooming declines. Very low maintenance once established.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside gayfeather.
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’.