Liatris aspera
Liatris aspera (known as rough,[1][2] button,[3] lacerate,[4] or tall prairie blazing star[2] or gayfeather) is a wildflower that is found in the mid to eastern United States in habitats that range from mesic to dry prairie and dry savanna.
| Liatris aspera | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Genus: | Liatris |
| Species: | L. aspera |
| Binomial name | |
| Liatris aspera | |
It is a perennial herb[5] that grows 30 to 180 cm (1 to 6 feet) high.[6] The inflorescence is an erect raceme with numerous, purple, button-like flower heads, short-stalked or stalkless, blooming from the top down. It flowers from mid-August through September, with seed becoming ripe in October to November.[7] It can be purchased from specialty suppliers.
Leaves are alternate, numerous, and narrow along the entire stem. The stem is rough with short stiff hairs,[1] and often the leaves are as well.[2] It attracts birds, hummingbirds, and butterflies.[5]
Flowers from above, some not yet blooming.
Monarch butterfly on Liatris aspera, North Dakota, USA.
References
- Hilty, John (2016). "Rough Blazingstar (Liatris aspera)". Illinois Wildflowers.
- Chayka, Katy; Dziuk, Peter (2016). "Liatris aspera (Rough Blazing Star)". Minnesota Wildflowers.
- Haddock, Mike (2018). "Tall gayfeather". Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses.
- "Liatris aspera". Flora of Wisconsin. Wisconsin State Herbarium, University of Wisconsin–Madison.
- "Liatris aspera - Plant Finder". www.missouribotanicalgarden.org. Retrieved 2022-01-18.
- Nesom, Guy L. (2006). "Liatris aspera". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). Vol. 21. New York and Oxford – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
- "Liatris Aspera: Rough Blazing Star". Native Plants of the Great Lakes. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Archived from the original on 2014-04-17.
