Gayfeather Liatris Plant

Gayfeather Liatris - Liatris Spicata

The Gayfeather liatris perennial is a magnificent North American native whose fluffy, purple blooms have been dotting prairies for centuries. Its native range extends up into eastern Canada and includes the midwestern and eastern United States. It thrives in prairies and meadows, but would be just as at home at the sunny edge of your native or wildflower garden.

Details: Gayfeather Liatris

Family: Asteraceae

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Water Needs: Moderate, Regular

Height: 2-4 ft

Spread: 1 ft

Growth Rate: Moderate

Soil Preference: Moist, well-drained soil

Bloom Time: July, August, September

Flower Color: Purple

Wildlife Value: Host plant for moths, attracts pollinators, and animals eat the seeds

Why Gayfeather Liatris is a Must-Have Pollinator Plant

It is distinct and immediately recognizable by its elongated inflorescence and thick, unbranched stem, which often grows to 4 ft tall. Its leaves are long and thin, and clustered at the base before extending up the stem towards the showy flower cluster.

The purple blossoms bloom very close to the stem, and their fluffy petals spread outward, covering the top few inches of the stem with a burst of purple. Their lush, finely textured foliage and unique height give wonderful contrast to the delicate, drooping plants in your garden. The Gayfeather Liatris has often been used medicinally by many indigenous peoples as a painkiller and as an herbal insect repellent.

How to Grow and Maintain Gayfeather Liatris Plants

The Gayfeather Liatris is excellent for attracting pollinators and other insects to your garden. The showy, purple flowers attract a wide variety of butterflies and bee species, including Bumblebees, Leaf-cutter bees, and digger bees. The colorful flowers attract hummingbirds, which feed on the nectar, while groundhogs, voles, and rabbits eat all parts of the plant.

This gorgeous flower is also a host plant for the rare and beautiful Glorious Flower Moth and the Liatris Borer Moth. The caterpillars of the latter will bore right through the plants' thick stems, while the former's larvae rest on the flower buds.

The Glorious Flower Moth blends beautifully in with the pinky-brown color of the stem and budding flowers with its shimmering, pink and tan wings, and can often be found resting on the plant as it turns slowly from purple to bronze in the autumn.