Do you grow Liatris ligulistylis for the Monarchs??

Hi Butterfliers--

I was recently perusing another forum and a poster (Moby) mentioned that Liatris ligulistylis (or "meadow blazing star') was very attractive to Monarchs, as compared to Liatris' spicata and kobold, the two cultivars that I grow (spicata is in tha photo).

Does anyone on this forum happen to grow ligulistylis?? If you do, what sort of environment do you grow it in? And have you found it extraordinarily attractive to the butterflies?

I am wondering abou this particular one because I have limited sunny space for the butterfly garden and will switch over to this variety if the butterflies love it as much as it seems...

In this write up they say it is 'unsurpassed' as a Monarch attractor (even as compared to all the other liatris they have listed on their website.)

http://www.critsite.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/plants.plantDetail/plant_id/100376/index.htm

If you have any thoughts, please share-- thanks. t.

Hi tabasco,

I just planted four of these varieties in my yard. However, they have yet to bloom, so the verdict is out for a bit on their monarch attraction. I did buy them because I read the same thing you did! :-)

I do see some buds on the plants, and I'll report back when they bloom.

Thanks, June--

I went out to check the labels on my Liatris--I have kobold, spicata alba, spicata violette, scarosa, punctata, and scariosa "September Glory"

.... how I could have missed the one that is 'absolutely unsurpassed' for the butterflies, I can't figure out!!

I do have some trouble growing them--the voles and moles and chipmunks like to eat the corms, and apparently the rabbits like the foliage...then I tend to lose some over the winter, why? I'm not exactly sure. I thought they had good drainage, but...

I will be very interested to hear what your opinions are. I can't say that I have seen this ligulistylus in the garden center so it's interesting to me, too, that you found four!

I found mine at an off-beat, out-of-the-way nursery an hour from me: www.monchesfarm.com. I saw them listed in their perennial "menu," and knew the trip would be worth it! :-) I think you can find them via mail-order too, at www.prairienursery.com.

And here's a pretty good photo of one in bloom: http://www.robsplants.com/plants/LiatrLigul.php

I'm hoping for good things with this one!

Junebug--Thanks for the links...

That Prairie Nursery looks neat. It looks like they have the best pre-planned native butterfly garden design packages I have found on the net. Monches looks like a fun place--I would love to go to their Fairie Festival. Looks cute. You have some great resources for great gardeners up there in WI.

I like Robsplants website. Lots of good info there....he is very enthusiastic!

Gosh, Tabasco, You are a FONT of information for us in the North!

I was just thinking about my lousy Liatris and how they weren't attracting anything but Goldfinshes as far as I could see. Now I know why!

Those Liatris are so easy and fast from seed, and there are several people on DG that have them on their tradelists.....

Suzy

Well, I do spend all my spare time googling (can't you tell?!?)--and I am obsessed with butterfly gardening at the moment! And we did live in WI years ago when my DH was at UW -- and my in-laws have a home up there so I maintain some ties...

About the liatris spicata--the common one at the garden center--I do get butterflies coming to it if it is a later blooming strain. Some of my spicata bloomed already and bf nectaring was minimal. Some spicata is about to bloom, though, and I think there are more butterflies around now and they show more interest in it.

I expect my L. scariosa 'September glory' will get a lot of bf business--I bought it last fall and it really likes its spot, is tall and big, and I expect it to come into bloom mid August when the Monarchs are around. http://pss.uvm.edu/pss123/perliat.html

I bought some various Liatris seeds from Specialty Perennials 2 years ago but forgot to plant them--actually I lost interest when I read somewhere that they would take 3 years to come into bloom--if I had planted them I would have some neat flowers now, though! Oh, well. I also read that liatris seeds need to be planted 'fresh'--of course, I don't know how true any of this is--again, a result of obsessive googling!

I love the $1. end-of-season leftover table at our Perennial nursery and I usually buy my Liatris there.

Here are a couple of sites that discuss differences in Liatris species...

http://pss.uvm.edu/pss123/perliat.html

http://www.myohiolandscape.com/perennial-focus.cfm

I don't know the particulars on this liatris - it grows wild on the roadsides around here and I have transplanted quite a few of them. This pic is from a large field and I never go by it without seeing dozens of b'flies of many different types. I'll show a couple more pics after this one.

This is a wider view of one of several "patches" along the road.

More visitors.

I was there a few days ago and watched a bunch of hummingbird moths, and I know there were at least two different types of them. I just didn't have the camera that day and those little rascals move around so fast they are hard to get good shots of.

I plan on gathering seed this year to start some in a new area I'm working on using all native wildflowers.

tgif--beautiful shot of the roadside patch of liatris--your own native gardn will be spectacular with this one in it--whichever it is.

I wonder if that is a late blooming liatris for your area?

This is about the time of year it always blooms. That is one of the reasons I love. By this time many of the good nectar plants have finished so the pickings are getting slimmer. There is another type of liatris - rough liatris - that will be starting soon and will carry on after the gay feather has finished. Then the golden rod and fall asters will be kicking in.

It seems that Ma Nature has provided a summer long banquet for her beatuies to feast on. The big problem is that wildflower habitats are being paved over.

Native, wild growing, butterfly weed down by the lake -

another pretty pic!

Thanks for your report on the liatris bloom time. I'm trying to spread out my nectar blooms until autumn comes.

Daisies, zinnias and cones can be used to fill in some of the gaps. I'll probably end up with some of those until I can find enough wildflowers to go from Spring through Fall.

Which reminds me - I need to make a trip down to the Wildlife Refuge to see if the cleome has set any seed yet. Gotta have some of them in the meadow! And there are a couple of maypops there to be checked on as well. The Rangers all know me and let me do my thing. I never did up plants - just collect some, not all, of the seed from the plants I want to grow here. There are a couple of Rangers who will actually help me gather seeds!

I don't see this fellow too often, but always a welcome sight.

Hi, and yes, I have several of that plant but I only bought it for it's beauty.
It is planted next to butterfly bush & monarda which is always loaded with bees and butterflies.
I haven't particularly noticed many butterflies on the liatis after I cut back all the monarda
but I will take more notice now that the liatris is in full bloom.
Sunny

I just looked up the Monarch Fall Migration Map and read that peak migration around our area is the week September 27--- That means I have to have some pretty late blooming nectar flowers for them... http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/monarch/AboutFall.html

I planted new england asters, helenium, liatris, milkweeds (have to find out which MW will hang in there until Sept 27) all for late season bloom....I wonder what else?

I have several kinds of cone flowers but they are pretty sapped out by then.

The Meadow Blazing Star/Ligulistylis certainly does have a distinctively different and unique appearance from the few I've seen.

Sure appreciate the 'heads up' .. tabasco!

Will also hafta check out some of those other beauties that you and others, have mentioned here.

tgif ..
We've noticed some 'wild' liatris growing nearby here, also! Spotted a relatively large and beautifully breath-taking patch in full-bloom, the other day .. just south of us along the highway right-of-way. Hopefully, the state hasn't come along already and whacked them all down yet - and we can return to harvest a bunch of it and transplant it to our newly widened side yard. (will ya keep yer fangers crossed fer us, guys?!?)

tabasco ..
I have some 'thoughts' to share, altho' I'm afraid that it's not directly associated to the flutterbyes nor the Liatris ligulistylis you've mentioned. (hee) But, did want to remind you guys, that the hummers sure like making their visits to the Liatris also.
I's gots 'pwuuf'! .. LOL ..

((huggs))

- Magpye

Here's a couply of 'em .. along with a Skipper spotted in the wings (the pun whole-heartedly intended!) .. LOL

This message was edited Jul 19, 2007 1:39 PM

Fabulous photo, Mags! I didn't realize that the hummingbirds liked the liatris, too!

What variety of Liatris would you say grows wild in your area?

I haven't seen any growing by the roadsides up here, but the Ohio Highway Department mows with a vengeance so our byways are rather dull.

((thanks, t))

Right-off-the-top-of-my-head?!? .. Poo! .. I haint nary the slightest clue! (hee)

I'll hafta dig out my book about the wildflowers of Arkansas .. and get back to ya, in a bit ..

- Magpye

The patch I pictured above is growing under a power line of the local electric company. Now these guys, and the men who maintain the power line right of way, are ALL well trained (I'm not the only gal who goes there to collect seeds)! They would not *dare* go home if their wives got wind of these flowers getting mowed down! I have a standing agreement with them for seed collection, and I'm also "in" with the Noxubee Wildlife Refuge just a few miles from me.

I am dertermined to put together a wildflower Heaven in a pretty little meadow that is between my cabin and the lake down the hill. I really enjoy looking at all the pretty flowers in other people's yards, but I've come to realize that I'm more of the Nature/Natural type personality and I'm quite comfortable with that. So, wildflowers beware - I'm looking for some seeds!
ginni

Magpye -If you can rescue a bulb or 20 from that roadside DO IT (or maybe a bunch of seeds)! It isn't stealing - its preserving!! I know you well enough to know that you will leave plenty for its future growth in the original spot and at the same time try to expand its growth in other areas.
ginni

Yesterday a swallowtail found our tall liatris just beginning to flower.

I'm looking forward to a lot of visitors on this one...

Tabasco, firstly, I want to thank you for bringing this information to light. It sounds as if this type of liatris is new to everyone who responded.

Junebug, I actually did followup with Prairie Nursery, and was in the process of placing an order when I decided to check the gardenwatch. The nursery's track record in the last year or so has not been good. If you have recently had a positive interaction with them, I would love to know of it. I think that I also worried about ordering in the summer time, and possibly having the plants overheating. When you order in the spring, many of the plants are dormant, and heat isn't an issue.

That said, I am going to put this on my list for next year, and look for some seedlings in the spring.

Pictures I just took today of butterflies, but with liatris spicata.

He is a regular visitor to my echinacea, but today, he decided to give the liatris a try.

Now he is trying out the white.

Thanks Penne,

I have not yet ordered with Prairie Nursery, since I usually buy native plants through the local Wild Ones chapter annual plant sale. BUT, I am thinking of taking a leap of faith and ordering 3 compass plants from PN this fall. I'll let you know how the experience goes...are there any Wild Ones chapters or native plant nurseries near you that may carry this type of liatris? Good luck!! :-)

Hi, Butterfliers,

Just found this old thread as I was reviewing new plants for our butterfly garden this year.

Now I am wondering if anyone knows if any vendor sells corms for any of the liatris varieties such as ligustylus?

I know that 'spicata' corms are readily available in big box stores and Brent & Becky's, etc. but I never see other rarer varieties sold.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks. t.

I would check prairiemoon.com, they sell liatris bare root. I grew these from seed from them. They weren't fast or easy though. In their second year they got 6" high and only two out of about twenty made it to bloom. The ones that did bloom didn't look like what I had seen in pictures. They looked a lot like another Button Type Liatris I have, that blooms a little later. It blooms so late that their aren't really any butterflies around to go to it. I did see a hummer at it a couple times, as it was just beginning to open. It was about the same time they were starting to migrate.

Here's another source that sells 3" pots http://www.prairienursery.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=225

This message was edited Apr 27, 2009 7:51 PM

I checked prairiemoon and it looks like they did have them. Unfortubately they are already sold out. The pictures they have look just like the seedlings that bloomed from their seed I purchased. For some reason I was expecting them to look more mauve and less purple.

Tab,

It looks like you can find this at Niche Gardens. I am not familiar with them, but the reviews have been good in Watchdog.

http://www.nichegardens.com/catalog/item.php?id=1587

Thanks, meredith and penne, for the liatris details and links.

I did google a good bit for info on ligustylus and noticed quite a few of the photos of ligustylus not correlating from site to site (I think they had confused the cultivar photos). Or some places were just plain vague confused about which kind they were offering.

I tried to grow ligustylus (and some of the others) from seed, too, (from Specialty Perennials, I think) and couldn't baby them along well enough for 2/3 years and lost them to who knows what. I did read that the rabbits love liatris, and of course, they seem to succumb to water clogged soils. (Meredith, I bet they do well in your sandy soil, huh?)

Actually, I was looking for ligustylus 'corms' to plant, not the plants themselves. I thought that way it would be cheaper to get a significant number of plants growing in the garden for not a lot of money . II did buy 50 L. spicata bulbs this spring.

As I google around on Liatris, I think it's interesting to note how many plant sellers/suppliers have enlarged the range of liatris they offer now. 3 years ago when I first became interested in them, it was hard to find 'spicata' listed in many catalogs. Now there are all kinds available.

Please keep us posted on your liatris developments. Thanks again. t.

I have 2 kobold I got at a local nursery and 2 Elegans from Bustani...
http://www.bustaniplantfarm.com/liatris-elegans.html

Susan, I will be interested to know how your elegans do in your garden.

That particular one is really new in the online catalogs~~I don't think I've ever seen it offered before this year.

I planted out all my Spicata bulbs this week. They were already sprouting so I am looking forward to a good crop (if I can keep the rabbits away.)

This is where I recently bought my three Meadow Blazing Star/Liatris Ligulistylis plants (after learning about the different Liatris plants here). http://myworld.ebay.com/dogwooderitternet/ They just arrived yesterday and are lovely big, healthy plants. Please see photo.

I wanted to let this group know he had more but I just checked his plant listings and didn't see them so it looks like he has already been cleaned out of his original offering. I don't know if he has more available.

I will report back later this year to let everyone know whether these were a hit with the garden beauties at my location.

This is my second order from this vendor and I've been exceptionally pleased with the plants received as well as the service.

Mary

Hi, maryleek, what a coincidence! I just received my 10 ligustylus from Ron Rottman (the ebay source) today, too. They are very nice plants and I have high expectations for them.

I also ordered a bunch of asclepias curassavica which were nice sized, and 2 Major Walker honeysuckle vines (small, but I'm sure they'll grow well), for the hummingbirds.

Yes, I agree, a very good resource IMHO for butterfly and hummingbird plants. Very reasonable, too.

I noticed he had spice bush and a few other host plants listed the other day if anyone wants a 'jump start' on their butterfly gardening. Here's his link and plant list on ebay: http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/dogwooderitternet_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ