Species PlantsPrairie Blazing Star

Prairie Blazing Star

Liatris pycnostachya

CommonPlant
Illustration of Prairie Blazing Star (Liatris pycnostachya)

Prairie Blazing Star is a tall, imposing wildflower of wet-to-mesic prairies, producing 4-foot spikes of brilliant rosy-purple flowers in late summer. It is a flagship species of the tallgrass prairie ecosystem and was historically far more abundant before prairie conversion to agriculture. It supports regal fritillaries and many specialist native bees.

Habitat
Wet-to-mesic tallgrass prairies and open savannas of the Midwest
Diet
Nectar for monarchs, regal fritillaries, and bumblebees
How common
Common

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