Liatris spicata 

Dense Blazing Star

• Average to high moisture soils
• Prefers full sun 
• 48” to 60” tall, 12” to 24” wide
• Summer blooms 
• Native to Ontario, beginner friendly if height is kept in mind, thrives in high moisture meadows

New to me this year, grown from seeds from Prairie Moon Nursery https://www.prairiemoon.com/liatris-spicata-dense-blazing-star 

While many gardeners are familiar with the cultivars of this species, the height of the straight species can sometimes come as a surprise. In a very rich garden setting, without lots of supportive neighbours, these tall plants can become quite tippy and end up laying down. To avoid this, either plant them in leaner, dryer settings, or plant them with lots of other tall plants and grasses, which will provide support, shelter and root competition, all of which will help these keep standing tall. 

When in the right setting, these are very showy, long blooming plants that are very popular with a lot of pollinating insects.

Please check out the Prairie Moon listing at the link above for more details.

Photos by Drew Avery, Sixflashphoto and U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service via Wikimedia Commons