Liatris aspera (Rough Blazing Star)
| Also known as: | Tall Blazing Star, Gayfeather |
|---|---|
| Genus: | Liatris |
| Family: | Asteraceae (Aster) |
| Life cycle: | perennial |
| Origin: | native |
| Habitat: | part shade, sun; dry prairies, open woods, along roads |
| Bloom season: | July - September |
| Plant height: | 1 to 4 feet |
| Wetland Indicator Status: | none |
| MN county distribution (click map to enlarge): |  |
| National distribution (click map to enlarge): |  |
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Detailed Information
Flower: 
![[photo of flowers]](/udata/r9ndp23q/purple/rough-blazing-star-0728_085557.jpg)
Flowers are in a spike-like cluster 6 to 18 inches long of purple to pink flower heads. Each flower head is about 1 inch across and made up of 25 to 40 star-shaped disk flowers with a long stringy divided style emerging from the center. The flower heads may be very short stalked but tend to be stalkless. Flowers bloom from the top of the plant down.
![[photo of bracts]](/udata/r9ndp23q/purple/rough-blazing-star-0708_091927.jpg)
The bracts are rounded; the edges fold inward and have jagged edges. The bract color is green or tinged with purple.
Leaves and stem:
![[photo of leaves]](/udata/r9ndp23q/purple/rough-blazing-star-100_3756.jpg)
Stem leaves are narrow and blade-like with a prominent central vein and pointed tip, averaging about 3 inches long. Basal and lower stem leaves, which usually wither away by flowering time, are up to 12 inches long, less grass-like in shape and are long stalked, becoming smaller, narrower and stalkless as they ascend the stem. Leaves have a rough texture from short stiff hairs. Attachment is alternate, but can be crowded on the stem so may appear to be whorled. The main stem is ridged and is also rough from short stiff hairs, but may become smooth with age. Stem color is green or purplish
Fruit:
![[photo of fruit]](/udata/r9ndp23q/purple/rough-blazing-star_1101_142454.jpg)
Fruit is a dry seed with a tuft of light brown hair to carry it off in the wind.
Notes:
There are 5 species of Blazing Star native to Minnesota and one relatively easy way to tell similar species apart is by the floral bracts. Rough Blazing Star has round bracts with fringed edges that curl or fold in, and its flower heads have little or no stalk. Most similar is Northern Plains Blazing Star (Liatris ligulistylis), which has longer stalked flower heads and has a preference for moister conditions.
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More photos
Rough Blazing Star plant
Rough Blazing Star habitat
budding plants
basal leavesPhotos by K. Chayka taken at Long Lake Regional Park, Ramsey County, and Wild River State Park, Chisago County. Photos courtesy Peter M. Dziuk taken in Anoka County and at Ordway Prairie, Pope County..
Comments
Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?
on: 2009-08-15 21:21:25
Many specimens blooming on wide-expanse prairie land at this time. (Mid August)
on: 2009-08-20 13:54:58
I found this flower blooming in the last couple of days along the Heartland Trail. It's really gorgeous, especially up close! I've never noticed it before. There are lots of flowers which look similar from a distance, so I assumed it was one of those.
on: 2011-01-06 09:21:23
I've noticed a nice patch of these blooming in a road ditch just a few miles from Wheaton.
on: 2013-08-20 16:14:20
We saw the budding stage along the beautiful Harmony Preston Trail on August 16. Will watch it change. Harmony is located in the SE part of MN in Scenic Bluff Country.
on: 2013-08-25 16:27:04
I have one of these blooming in my large front yard that I decided to let grow wild this year.
on: 2015-08-22 09:24:45
Found this plant on the guided tour of 8-8-15 of these areas.
on: 2016-09-14 21:40:31
I put a patch of this in my front yard along with coneflowers and milkweed, and the monarchs love it. I haven't seen this many on years, and I have caterpillars and chrysalises too. Seems like a good combination.
on: 2018-08-19 10:10:29
These were blooming happily in a patch of 20 or so August 18, 2018, on a west-facing hillside at Ottawa Bluffs, a Nature Conservancy site just east of St. Peter. We had an expert with us so we checked the bracts for confirmation.
on: 2018-08-20 13:21:04
Found this for the first time today in sunny, sandy dry location.
on: 2018-10-05 21:34:14
There are several plants of this species along the roadside not far from my house. They have been there since at least 1971 which is when I first saw them.
on: 2020-09-04 18:35:09
walked in a Three Rivers Park today; rough blazing star patches in the restored prairie areas- covered with hundreds of moarch butterflies
on: 2022-08-10 20:15:27
found blooming in secluded old prairie segments on Neilson spearhead center trails.
on: 2023-08-04 18:36:39
Blooming now, monarch having a field day.
on: 2024-06-12 19:28:08
Transplanted from a small un-touched area bordering Wild Indigo SNA NE of Austin (maybe 1 acre). Several years of plants and seed are now established on Wolf Creek Wetland Wildlife Area. Original area in decline and not looking good for Liatris aspera.
on: 2024-08-13 00:02:21
I saw it on a restored shortgrass prairie in Good Thunder (Blue Earth County).