Blazing Star, Button

Description

Liatris aspera, commonly called button blazing star or rough blazing star, is a native perennial forb (wildflower) which commonly occurs in dryish soils on prairies, open woods, glades, meadows and along roads and railroad tracks. Blooms later (late summer to fall) than most other Liatris species.

Primarily long-tongued bees, butterflies, skippers, and bee flies visit the flowers. Among the long-tongued bees, this includes honeybees, bumblebees, Little Carpenter bees, Miner bees, and Leaf-Cutting bees. Butterfly visitors include Monarchs, Painted Ladies, Black Swallowtails, Sulfurs, and others. Other visitors include Green Metallic bees and other Halictine bees. The latter bees collect pollen primarily and are not effective pollinators. The caterpillars of the rare Schinia florida (Glorious Flower Moth) feed on the flowers and seed capsules of this and other Liatris spp. Mammmalian herbivores, large and small, readily eat the foliage and stems, including rabbits, deer, and groundhogs. Sometimes small rodents will dig up the corms and eat them. Consequently, this plant may be scarce where there is an overpopulation of these animals.

Livestock readily browse this species. Quite palatable.

Easily grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerant of poor soils, drought, summer heat and humidity. Intolerant of wet soils in winter. Perennial borders, cutting gardens, native plant gardens or naturalized areas.

This forb is widely distributed, but rarely forms large colonies in native habitats. Habitats include mesic to dry black soil prairies, sand prairies, gravel prairies, hill prairies, bald knobs, openings in rocky upland forests, sandy Black Oak woodlands, savannas, limestone glades, dry clay banks above ditches, and open areas along railroads, particularly where prairie remnants occur.