Marsh Blazing Star Seeds

Blazing Star seeds require cold stratification to improve the germination rates. Combine your Liatris Spicata seeds with moist sand and place them in the fridge for 8 weeks prior to spring planting, or plant them in the fall, and let winter do the work naturally. Plant Blazing Star flower seeds at the surface of prepared soil without covering them – they require light to germinate. Keep the soil lightly moist and temperatures around 65–70°F – sprouts should appear in 3-4 weeks. If planting inside, begin 6-8 weeks prior to your last frost date.

Full sun is the ideal condition for Blazing Star Liatris. It will do well in partial shade, but the density of the flower spike drops significantly. Marsh Blazing Star plant requires well drained soil, it is more important than fertility. Liatris Blazing Star has evolved in moist meadows, still it will rot in waterlogged clay. It does require regular watering during the first season, but once the roots are well-established, drought has no effect on the plant.

Space the plants 12-15 inches apart to provide good air circulation. No deadheading necessary – the seed heads that follow the blooms look good through the winter and provide the birds with food. Harvest stems for fresh arrangements when the blooms have opened about a third of the way, or dry the stems upside down. Feed lightly in the spring with a balanced slow-release fertilizer.