Kansas blazing star, (Liatris pycnostachya)

One of the the most popular of the Liatris species, the Kansas blazing star is sometimes grown as an ornamental. The stems of this showy perennial are 2-5 feet tall. It blooms with spikes of rose-purple cylindrical, stalkless flower heads, densely crowded on a coarse, hairy, leafy stem. Stamens protrude from the purple, tufted flower heads creating a fuzzy appearance. Butterflies, bees, and other insects frequent Liatris species (from Bill Fontenot's Native Gardening in the South). Liatris pycnostachya is recognized by pollination ecologists as attracting large numbers of native bees. (https://www.xerces.org/pollinator-conservation).

Photo credit: Larry Allain