Liatris Spicata

Liatris spicata

$29⁵⁰

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Understanding Plant Options

Nature Hills offers plants in two main formats:

Container Plants: Grown in pots with soil, sized by container volume and plant age
Bare Root Plants: Dormant plants without soil, sized by height measurements

Container Plant Sizes

Container sizes indicate plant age and growing capacity rather than liquid volume equivalents. Our containers follow industry-standard nursery "trade gallon" specifications, which differ from standard liquid gallon measurements.

Young Plants (6 months to 18 months old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
2" x 2" x 3"	0.18 - 0.21 dry quarts	0.20 - 0.23 dry liters
4" Container	0.31 - 0.87 dry quarts	0.35 - 0.96 dry liters
4.5" Container	0.65 dry quarts	0.72 dry liters
6" Container	1.4 dry quarts	1.59 dry liters
1 Quart	1 dry quart	1.1 dry liters
5.5" Container	1.89 dry quarts	2.08 dry liters

Established Plants (18 months to 2.5 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
2 Quart	2 dry quarts	2.2 dry liters
#1 Container	2.26 - 3.73 dry quarts	2.49 - 4.11 dry liters
5" x 5" x 12"	3.5 - 4.3 dry quarts	3.85 - 4.74 dry liters

Mature Plants (2-4 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
#2 Container	1.19 - 1.76 dry gallons	5.24 - 7.75 dry liters
#3 Container	2.15 - 2.76 dry gallons	8.14 - 12.16 dry liters

Large Plants (3-5 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
#5 Container	2.92 - 4.62 dry gallons	12.86 - 20.35 dry liters
#6 Container	5.25 - 6.01 dry gallons	23.12 - 26.42 dry liters
#7 Container	5.98 - 6.53 dry gallons	26.34 - 28.76 dry liters

Bare Root Plants

Bare root plants are sold by height from the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may exceed minimum height requirements.

Common Sizes:

Trees: 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet
Shrubs & Perennials: 1 foot, 18 inches, 2 feet

Important Notes

Container Volume Specifications

Trade Gallon Standard: Our containers follow industry-standard "trade gallon" specifications established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z60.1) for nursery stock
Volume Variations: Actual soil volume may vary due to plant root systems and growing medium settlement
Age Indicators: Container size primarily indicates plant age and maturity rather than liquid volume equivalents

Growing Conditions

Plant size can vary based on variety and growing conditions
Container size helps indicate plant maturity and establishment level
Larger containers generally mean more established root systems and faster landscape establishment

Seasonal Availability

Bare root plants are available seasonally when dormant
Container plants are available throughout the growing season
Specific varieties may have limited availability in certain sizes

Questions?

For questions about specific plant sizes or availability, please contact our plant experts who can help you choose the right size for your landscape needs.

Plant Profile & Growing Essentials

Cold hardy, Native, Low Maintenance, Flowering, Deer-resistant, Heat Tolerant, Drought resistant, Attracts Butterflies, and Attracts pollinators

Specifications

Botanical Name

Liatris spicata
Height

2-3 ft
Width

2-3 ft
Growing Zones

3-9
Sunlight
- Full sun
Growth Rate

Fast
Flower Color
- Purple
Leaf Color
- Green
Native

Yes
Pollinator Friendly

Yes
Bloom Period

Early Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Late Fall

Planting & Care Instructions

Where to Plant

Sunlight: Aim for a full sun location, which means six or more hours of direct sun daily. While Liatris tolerates partial shade, the tradeoff is a noticeable reduction in bloom production and color intensity, and the stems may stretch and become less sturdy.
Soil: The key here is drainage; think of its native prairie home. Liatris thrives in lean, well-drained soil, tolerating even poor or sandy conditions. If you have heavy clay, incorporate plenty of coarse grit and compost to improve aeration and ensure water doesn't pool around the corm, which can lead to rot.

Watering Requirements

During its first establishment season, give your Liatris a deep, consistent watering once a week until the roots are well-developed. Once mature, this perennial is impressively drought-tolerant, meaning supplemental water is rarely needed outside of prolonged dry spells. If watering is severely inconsistent, the plant will show stress primarily through smaller flower spikes and eventual corm shrinkage, but it will generally survive.

Pruning Tips

Liatris blooms reliably on the new wood it produces each season, so there is no concern about cutting off next year's flower buds. The best technique is simple deadheading: snip off spent flower spikes right after they fade to prevent aggressive self-seeding throughout your garden. You can leave the rest of the foliage standing through winter for visual interest and to feed birds, then cut everything back to ground level in late winter before new growth emerges.

Fertilizer Needs

This prairie native performs best when its soil is kept lean, meaning it usually requires little to no supplemental fertilizer. If you suspect your soil is exceptionally poor, you can apply a single dose of a balanced, slow-release granular fertilizer in early spring. Do not apply high-nitrogen fertilizer or fertilize past midsummer. The reason for this is that excess nitrogen encourages soft, weak growth that will cause the flower stalks to flop over and makes the plant less resilient going into the dormant season.

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Growing Zones 3-9

Find Your Growing Zone!

So unusual and unique! The bold and upright, purple wands of Liatris Spicata (Liatris spicata) will be smothered in pollinators! Also known as Gayfeather and Blazing Star, the whimsical shape and gorgeous color last all summer into the fall, and the fine-textured leaves add a fringy green edging to the garden when not in bloom!

Long-lasting spikes of violet-purple wave in the wind and gleam in the sun without fading. Unique shape and form will certainly draw attention! The ample nectar and pollen feed bees, butterflies, the occasional Hummingbird, and droves of beneficial insects to the native resources they recognize! Birds love the seeds in fall so don't deadhead too quickly!

Liatris Spicata is a reliable clump-forming perennial with fine, long, thin blades of green leaves along sturdy flower spikes that look incredible in any location of your landscaping! It won't fail to stand up and stand out! The bulb-like roots slowly colonize small areas and grow fast throughout USDA planting zones 3 to 9.

Planting and Application:

Include these graceful and cheery blooms throughout your sun landscape beds and borders and even in container gardens! The vertical purple wands will enliven your Cut Flower garden, and Pollinator gardens, add character and structure to your Rock Gardens and mixed Perennial Gardens, and look great as vertical lines anywhere you plant them!

For a quirky walkway, alternate different Allium, Sea Thrift, Scabiosa, and Bee Balm with Liatris along your garden path or sidewalk, then add a backdrop of red or blue mophead Hydrangea! Or mix them with other sun garden blooms in a Xeric planting along the sun-drenched strip of land with a backdrop of waving Ornamental grass!

Have fun playing with other wand-like blooms and mix Liatris with Pennestemon, Delphinum, Red Hot Pokers, Veronica, Astilbe, Hollyhock, and Salvias with a backdrop of Butterfly bushes and Lilacs for a charming Cottage garden or whimsical Children's garden!

Pot up as the vertical thriller element in a mixed planter with spilling grasses and fluffy fillers on your sunny porch or patio! Even balcony gardeners can enjoy these fast-growing, fun perennial bulbs anywhere! No yard required! Snip a few Liatris Spicata for great architectural lines in floral arrangements and bouquets for a long-lasting pop of color!

Unique Purple Floral Wands!
Long-Lasting Native Blooms Call Pollinators
Great Cut Flowers & Pollinator Friendly
Vertical Structural & Heat/Cold-Hardy
Mid-to-Front-of-the-Border, Sun Garden Interest & Visual Texture

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Plant this magnificent native herbaceous perennial in the full sun, in an area with well-drained soil, so that it can grow tall, strong, and proud! New installations need regular water their first year, but once established, these plants only need supplemental moisture during extended drought. All plants appreciate a 3-4 inch layer of mulch for moisture stability and insulation. Deadhead to encourage occasional rebloom and clean the mounds in the late fall to prepare them for the winter (after the birds have had their fill anyway).

Full Sun Perennial
Well-Drained Organic Soils
Moderate to Low Moisture Needs
Deadhead After Flowers Fade/Prune Late Fall
Deer-Resistant, Hardy & Adaptable!

The curious magic wands of the Liatris Spicata will be the perfect addition to your garden! Order today before it's too late from the expert growers at Nature Hills Nursery!

Under $50	$9.99
$50 - $99.99	$14.99
$100 - $149.99	$16.99
$150 - $198.99	$24.99
$199+	FREE

Liatris Spicata

Liatris spicata

Plant Sentry™

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