Once a humble American prairie perennial, Liatris (familiarly known as Blazing Star or Gayfeather) is now a celebrity in vases everywhere! Its tall spikes of flowers, irresistible to butterflies, have become a mainstay of the commercial cut-flower industry, both for fresh and dried arrangements. And now you can grow the best variety of them all for cutting right in your garden: brilliant, long-blooming, flower-packed Floristan!

A sun-loving delight in border and container, Floristan sets a low-growing rosette of long, slender bright green leaves, topped by flowerspikes that reach 2 to 3 feet high and are simply packed with gleaming white florets. The show begins in mid- to late summer in most climates, continuing through the first part of fall. This is a time when many gardens are craving some fresh, bright color. Rely on Floristan to deliver it every time!

Because it is a selection of a native American plant, Floristan is very well adapted to different garden conditions. It puts up with heat and periods of drought, especially if pampered the first year so that it establishes well in the garden. Reaching 3 feet high and spreading 18 to 24 inches wide, it is a big presence in the border or meadow garden, every inch covered in color and visiting butterflies over a long season of bloom!

Floristan was developed in Germany for the cut-flower market, but home gardeners quickly realized it was absolutely the best for their needs, too. This variety is easy to start from seed, growing easily and very dependable.

Start the seeds outdoors or indoors. Germination is slow but reliable; just give the seeds extra time if they don't sprout when you expect them to. Outdoors, sow them at a depth of 4 times their size, anytime from early spring (best) through summer. They will usually germinate within a month. Indoors, pop the seed packet into the fridge for a couple weeks before sowing. Then drop one seed into each bio sponge of the Bio Dome, or sow it at a depth of 4 times its size in a seed flat or other grow medium. Room temperature is fine during the day, but chilly nights (down to the 50s) are appreciated for faster germination. Again, germination will take nearly a month, and if it hasn't happened by then, give them another week or so of grace. Liatris can be fickle, but ultimately comes through!

Once you have seedlings, everything else is easy! Liatris will bloom the second year from seed, and it forms a tuber underground that you can divide in early spring, once the plant has bloomed for a few years. This brings you new plants without having to wait for the seeds to mature!

Just about the only thing you can really do wrong with Liatris is to let the roots (and tuber) get too wet. Select a site with good drainage, and don't overwater the plants --they would rather be too dry than too wet. The rest is simple, and this perennial will bloom for many years, delighting you with its beauty and adaptability to drought, heat, humidity, poor soil, and other environmental stresses! Make it a mainstay of your cutting, butterfly, and native plant garden! Zones 4-9.