Rows and Rows of Liatris flowers
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This weeks theme is Rows
When you take a close look at many flowers or leaves you can see that there’s often a pattern to how it’s been formed.
I mean, take this Liatris stalk. When it’s in full bloom it just looks like a puffy floral stalk in the garden, but when you look a little more closely you’ll notice that the stalk is composed of many flower buds in tight rows. Each stalk must have at least 50 flowers on it.
I can’t remember if this Liatris was about to bloom or if it’s blooms were fading when I took this photo, I believe it was finishing up it’s bloom.
I have several clumps of Liatris throughout the garden. I plant five to 15 bulbs or corms (I can’t remember which they are at the moment) in a circular pattern so that when the individual plants grow they form a natural looking clump.
I’ve only been growing Liatris (Gay Feather) for a few years and I haven’t yet noticed if any of the bulbs have naturalized to produce more plants. Does anyone know if they naturalize?
August 11th, 2007 at 11:57 am
Beautiful flower!
August 11th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
I know totally nothing about flowers and you have taught me like 100% more than I did know! The photo illustrates very well what you are talking about.
August 12th, 2007 at 8:08 am
Hi Tricia,
Flowers and nature in general have so many suprises and patterns it never ceases to amaze me. Nice shot.
Cheers Mark
August 13th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
Wonderful
October 5th, 2007 at 8:40 am
I have liatris in my garden, and it seems that over the last few years it is getting fewer and fewer bulbs. If you are asking if the liatris bulbs spread when you ask about “naturalizing”, I think the answer is no.
October 5th, 2007 at 8:40 am
I meant fewer and fewer flowers.
May 25th, 2008 at 4:39 am
The Liatris is a great garden flower, and very popular for making bouquets. To me that looks like the Liatris spicata. I like the patterns formed when they are fully grown.
September 19th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
wow beautiful flowers
October 19th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
Last year I let the flowers on my Liatris plants go to seed. In the fall the seed pods turn brown and have little hairs on them that the wind will catch (like dandelion blooms). I then stripped the seeds off the stems and scattered them all around the flower bed. This fall (1 year later) I have all sorts of little starts coming up all over the place. When you pull them up there is a little bulb/tuber starting to grow at the ends. It looks like it will take a few years for each plant to reach bloom size. But it will sure be worth the wait. So, yes they will naturalize if you scatter the seeds around.