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On the primary day of August 2006, my botanizing companion and I have been making solely our third journey to a barrens on a farm owned by pals in Kentucky. We already knew that this spot by no means appeared the identical twice, so we had few expectations as to what we’d see. Our delight on arrival can hardly be described. So far as the attention may see was a sea of shades of purple, pink, and white. My designer mind instantly kicked in—if solely I may replicate this in somebody’s backyard!
Scaly liatris is often present in dry sandy prairies and barrens. It’s pretty uncommon, being shorter than most different Liatris species. When grown in a backyard state of affairs in respectable soil, this plant seems to be all the higher for the additional vitamins and water it will get. It will probably have a extra “roundy-moundy” look, it flowers for an prolonged time frame (all through summer time), and, not like most different liatris, it may be divided. It additionally attracts a plethora of pollinators, making it each a gardener’s and an entomologist’s dream.
A much less apparent attribute of this perennial is its engaging seed heads (although the stage simply previous to immature seed is usually a tad ugly for some time), and for these of us who prefer to develop our personal crops, the seeds aren’t troublesome to gather and develop on. has been long-lived for me, and I’ve not encountered any severe ailments or pests, although deer will munch on it sometimes. It’s a prairie native actually value searching for out and is bound to catch consideration.
Scaly liatris
Liatris squarrosa
Zones: 4–8
Situations: Full solar; dry, sandy, well-drained soil
Native vary: Japanese and central United States
Sources:
Hilary Cox is an Arizona-based horticulturist, backyard designer, and photographer. She is the co-author of The Gardener’s Information to Prairie Crops.
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