Someone at the NTRU gave me some liatris and it was dry. I see some small seedlings in the pot and wonder if that is the liatris coming up. I was told they form bulbs and might be ok but now I am thinking I might leave them in the pot this winter, keep them watered and see if the seedlings survive. I will know in spring if the mature plants survived or not. I appologize but I can't remember the species or who gave them to me right now.
Cheryl
Liatris Question
Those came from patrob and it's a liatris mucronata. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/83324/
Thanks for the ID, it says it self sows freely so I bet those are liatris seedlings in the pot. I also might shake the flower heads in another bed and see if they show up next year.
C
The liatris bulbs are fine and will live for many years, getting larger each year. The tops dry up after they bloom, and the plants go dormant for the winter. All they need now is to be planted in the ground. They can tolerate dry conditions, but don't put them in a boggy area. Each pot has two or three bulbs, depending on size, which can be spaced a foot or so apart. You can cut off the dried up tops if you like, but I leave the tops so I know where the bulbs are.
Whatever is coming up is likely grass or weeds from seeds in my homemade potting soil since the liatris seeds require a period of cold to germinate. They have been in those pots only a couple of weeks. They sure don't look pretty now, but they will put on a bright purple show for you next fall. The bloom stalks increase in length too as the bulbs grow larger, and butterflies and hummingbirds love them. I hope you will enjoy them too!
Patricia
I went ahead and planted mine. I put it in front of my mealy blue sage. It will get LOTS of hot afternoon sun. I figure that they grow out in the middle of fields and such, so they'd probably do well in the area of the bed that doesn't get the most water. If the branches die back, I bet the bulbs will still be fine.
Do the stalks die back in the winter and come back in the spring?
I will enjoy them, I love purple flowers. I am working outside today so I will plant them out in a bed.
Cheryl
I pulled them up out of the pot, they are large bulbs. I understand them now that I have had a look at them. Hopefully they will like their new spot, not full sun but pretty close.
C
Pat, is this the only kind of liatris you have? I am asking b/c I got some from you a few years ago and am wondering if it is the same kind.
As far as I know, liatris mucronata is the only type of liatris I have ever had.
it will come back next year.. I have some that died down from the heat of summer and are now showing new growth
the unusual thing about liatris is is blooms from the top of the stalk down.. most plants that have stalky blooms bloom from the bottom up but not this one!
its a very long lasting cut flower too