Most of us know liatris as a cut flower, popular with florists, the upright flower spikes are covered in small purple, button-like flowers. In the garden they are fabulous, in fact the entire genus is from Eastern North America, found in variable habitats from rich streambank soils to poor sandy dunes. There are about 35 species with flowers confined to white or various shades of lavender, as flowering plants they all produce upright spikes with flowers that resemble round florets with fine purple or white hairs that are actually tiny tubes.

Common names include gay feather, blazing star, snake root and button snake root. Two plants share a common name of button snake root yet only Eryngium yuccifolium (the other snake root) actually helps with a snake bite. Liatris, it seems, was used for liver and bladder ailments, occasionally for snake bites, but with no success. I never hesitate to order corms of various liatris every year. Corms are how they store food during prolonged periods of drought, like a bulb only filled with starchy food and prone to producing lots of small cormlets, hence your liatris patch gets bigger and bigger.

I find them highly ornamental and joyfully rugged. As I try various species it becomes quite clear that our common Liatris spicata or blazing star is possibly the least showy of the lot - not to say it's ugly - simply boring. As I grow some of the most recently acquired liatris and watch them flower, I'm amazed at how variable the genus can be. This cormous perennial can grow from 2 to 6 feet tall and the flowers can be 1/4 to 1" across.

Butterflies rely on them for summer nectar and they are one of the 1st plants to consider when attracting butterflies. The smallest species, Liatris microcephala grows 18 to 24" tall, a native of the Southern Appalachians, the many fine stalks give it a delicate look, remarkably different from Liatris squarrosa with flowers that can be more than 1" across.

Liatris squarrosa is a seldom seen species, a local native with spiky foliage and husky stems, made popular once again by Mary Painter, a local plantswoman from Hume, Virginia.

Plant Liatris squarrosa with the wonderful native perennial, Eupatorium hyssopifolium or Hyssop Leaf Joe Pye Weed, with its white flowers set in flat umbels, much like yarrow or achillia. The contrast in upright stalks of purple and flat topped, white floral heads is beautiful. I find that Liatris squarrosa is my favorite of newly acquired liatris, due to its extra big flowers and sturdy stamina.

Last year I fell in love with Liatris aspera 'September Glory' and it is clearly still one of the showiest. The flower buds are covered with scaly outer petals that begin to open and look almost rose-like. One of the last to flower, it extends the liatris season. Given the fact that our perennial show is so diminished in August, one must consider liatris as a superior perennial for sunny, dry locations. My pleasure with this perennial continues to increase. I look forward to trying them all.