You may have noticed Button Blazing Star (Liatris aspera) greeting you if you enter through the science wing. One of my all-time favorites and what a beauty! This was one of 40 or so natives donated to us last month by Oakton Community College's Ken Schaefer who manages their numerous native ecosystems and landscapes on campus. It matures to about 3' tall, prefers full sun but can tolerate some shade and blooms for a short 3 weeks, so catch a glimpse while you can!
Butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees love this flower. Monarchs, Painted Ladies, and Black Swallowtails frequently sip from it. It's also great in flower arrangements, fresh or dry as the flowers keep their purple color :)
You may have also noticed its close relative, Prairie Blazing Star, which has similar bright purple flowers that fill out over a long central stem but grows to 5' tall and usually require staking until the prairie plot fills to prop it up and probably limit its height. The clusters of twisting stems create unique towering flower sculptures in our garden.
~Ms. Childress
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