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Liatris squarrulosa Michaux. Phen: Aug-Oct (-Nov). Hab: Diabase barrens, other glades and barrens, prairies, longleaf pine sandhills, open woodlands. Dist: Nc. NC, s. WV, OH, IN, IL, MO, and OK south to sw. GA, Panhandle FL, AL, MS, LA, and e. TX.

ID notes: L. squarrulosa has barbellate bristles, spreading to distally reflexed (although sometimes erect) phyllaries in 4-5 unequal series, 11-26 florets per head, and heads smaller. This differs from L. squarrosa, which has plumose bristles, phyllaries usually erect (though sometimes spreading-reflexed on distal third) in 5-7 equal-subequal series, 23-45 florets per head, and heads larger. L. cylindracea has plumose bristles, phyllaries usually erect (though sometimes spreading-reflexed on distal third) in 5-7 strongly unequal series, 10-35 florets per head, and heads somewhat intermediate in size.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: Highly variable in morphology and habitats and badly in need of additional study to determine if multiple taxa should be recognized, as seems likely. In the Atlantic Coastal States, there is a striking difference between plants of the fall-line Sandhills and rest of the Coastal Plain (small plants, strict inflorescences, narrow leaves < 2 cm long below the inflorescence, small heads with few flowers) vs. plants of diabase barrens (robust plants, inflorescences often branched, larger leaves, large heads with many flowers).

Synonymy ⓘ: = C, Fl7, FNA21, Il, K1, K3, K4, SE1, Tn, Tx, Va, W, WH3; > Lacinaria earlei Greene; > Laciniaria ruthii Alexander – S; > Laciniaria shortii Alexander – S; > Laciniaria tracyi Alexander – S; > Liatris earlei (Greene) K.Schum. – F, RAB, Gaiser (1946), Godfrey (1948); > Liatris ruthii Alexander; > Liatris scabra (Greene) K.Schum. – F, G, Il; > Liatris scariosa (L.) Willd. var. squarrulosa – Gaiser (1946), Godfrey (1948); > Liatris squarrulosa Michx. – G

Links to other floras: = Liatris squarrulosa - FNA21

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Heliophily ⓘ: 9

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image of plant© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Floyd A. Griffith | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Emily Oglesby | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Sonnia Hill | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Sonnia Hill | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Joey Shaw source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect perennial of diabase barrens, other glades and barrens, prairies, longleaf pine sandhills and open woodlands.

Stems: Stems typically solitary, unbranched, hairy.

Leaves: Leaves alternate and numerous, the lower ones oblong-lance-shaped, 4-9 in. long (gradually reduced in size and linear above); may be rough-hairy.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Composite flowers (heads) in a short, terminal spike; heads about 1/2 in. wide, angled away from the stem, sessile or on very short stalks, consisting of 11-20 purplish-pink, 5-lobed, tubular disk florets with 2 style branches protruding. Green (sometimes purple-tinged) bracts with slightly recurved tips surround the cylindric to bell-shaped base of each head.

Fruits: Fruit a cluster of small, tufted achenes.

Comments:

Height: 2 to 6 ft.

plant sale text: The late-blooming southern blazing-star shares its purple color and spiky habit with other members of its genus. Those familiar with the others will notice, however, that instead of a continuous spike of purple, the larger flower heads of this Liatris are separated by an inch or more of stalk. Southern blazing-star has a range that includes the southeastern United States and extends west to Texas and north to Ohio. It is present though not common in North Carolina. This plant makes its home in open woodlands on dry rocky or sandy soil. It is well adapted to dry conditions and is drought-tolerant once established. 1998 Wildflower of the Year.

bloom table text:

description: Erect perennial of diabase barrens, other glades and barrens, prairies, longleaf pine sandhills and open woodlands.

stems: Stems typically solitary, unbranched, hairy.

leaves: Leaves alternate and numerous, the lower ones oblong-lance-shaped, 4-9 in. long (gradually reduced in size and linear above); may be rough-hairy.

inflorescence:

flowers: Composite flowers (heads) in a short, terminal spike; heads about 1/2 in. wide, angled away from the stem, sessile or on very short stalks, consisting of 11-20 purplish-pink, 5-lobed, tubular disk florets with 2 style branches protruding. Green (sometimes purple-tinged) bracts with slightly recurved tips surround the cylindric to bell-shaped base of each head.

fruits: Fruit a cluster of small, tufted achenes.

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: central & eastern U.S.