prairie wildflower
Cylindrical blazing star
Liatris cylindracea
Also known as Ontario Blazing Star, Ontario Gayfeather, Ontario Liatris, Dwarf Blazing Star, Dwarf Gayfeather, Dwarf Liatris
Native to the Midwest and the Southeast and southern Canada
Western New York to Ohio and southerne Minnesota, south to Alabama and Arkansas
- Light Full sun Sun tolerance
- Moisture Dry Moisture preference
- Zones 3–8 Cold to heat range
- Bloom Jul–Sep Flowering time
- Height up to 2 ft to 0.6 m
- Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial
In the garden
A prairie wildflower for full sun and lean, dry soil. Its purple flowers peak in August. At up to 2 ft, it suits meadows and sunny borders. Hardy in USDA zones 3–8.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun Partial shade Full shade
Moisture
Dry Moist Wet
Hardiness zones
Find your zone:
When it blooms
The Cylindrical blazing star's purple flowers bloom July to September, peaking in August. This late-summer display draws butterflies and bees.
Cylindrical blazing star blooms purpleFoliage
Pollinators & wildlife
- Butterflies Monarch
also Fiery Skipper, Silver-spotted Skipper, Painted Lady +9 more
Zabulon Skipper, Clouded Sulphur, Peck's Skipper, Dun Skipper, Wild Indigo Duskywing, Tawny-edged Skipper, Hoary Edge, Crossline Skipper, Leonard's Skipper - Bees Common Eastern Bumble Bee also Two-spotted Bumble Bee, Bombus fervidus, Golden Sweat Bee
- Flower flies Margined Calligrapher
- Also visited by
- Moths: Snowberry Clearwing
Butterflies that use this plant
Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.
- Clouded sulphurnectar
- Fiery skippernectar
- Monarch butterflynectar
- Painted ladynectar
- Silver-spotted skippernectar
Full plant details
Where it grows
- Habitat
- PrairieThe wild plant community it grows in.
- Native range
- The Midwest and the Southeast and southern CanadaUnited States (14): AL, AR, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, NY, OH, TN, WI. Canada (1): ON. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
- Native distribution
- Western New York to Ohio and southerne Minnesota, south to Alabama and ArkansasThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.
Growing conditions
- Light
- Full sunHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
- Moisture
- DryThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3–8 · Canadian 4–7The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
- Soil
- Dry, limey soilsThe soils it grows in naturally.
Growth & form
- Height
- up to 2 ft (to 0.6 m)Typical mature height.
- Life cycle
- PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
Flowers, foliage & fruit
- Type
- WildflowerWhat kind of plant it is.
- Bloom
- Jul–SepWhen it flowers.
- Flower color
- PurpleThe bloom color, or colors.
- Fruit/Seeds
- Achene; ripens Mar–OctThe seed or fruit it sets after flowering.
- Toxicity
- None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.