From the great prairies of Missouri and the Midwest comes the outstanding Meadow Blazing Star, Liatris ligulistylis. With its brilliant purple spires that attract swarms of butterflies, its display may be the showiest and most flamboyant of all Liatris. From mid-summer into fall, its tall flower stalks are adorned with rich rosy-purple florets.

A top choice for butterflies, many consider it the #1 favorite nectar plant for Monarch butterflies. Finches adore its tasty seeds. A Missouri native perennial that is tolerant of heat and drought. It makes a beautiful cut flower. Also called Large Headed Liatris.

Easy to grow in average, well-drained soil. Tolerant of poor soil. Plants prefer full sun, at least 6 hours of sun a day, although if you have afternoon sun, you may be able to get away with a little less. Plants grow 3-5′ tall. In rich soil, the plants grow tallest and may need staking. Although tolerant of drought, it benefits from deep watering.

Named the 2017 Perennial of the Year by the GreatPlants program. The goal of GreatPlants is to bring superior ornamental landscape plants into gardens to meet the challenging growing conditions of the Great Plains.