Liatris aspera (Button Blazing Star, Rough Blazing Star)
Liatris aspera (Button Blazing Star, Rough Blazing Star)
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Pure Live Seed
Pure Live Seed
Seed is provided in Pure Live Seed (PLS) unless otherwise stated.
Pure Live Seed (PLS) expresses the viable seed content of a seed lot using its purity and germination or viability test results. It helps you compare seed lots and calculate how much bulk seed is needed to meet a specified PLS planting rate.
PLS weight and bag weight
PLS weight is not the same as the total weight of seed in a bag. For example, a lot with 80% purity and 75% viability contains 60% PLS: 80 × 75 ÷ 100 = 60. Supplying 10 lb PLS from that lot requires about 16.67 lb of bulk seed.
Use the current seed test and the stated basis of the mix specification. Germination calculations may include applicable hard or dormant seed. Seed-count estimates also require the number of seeds per pound; PLS alone does not provide a seed count.
What to check when buying a mix
Check whether each rate is stated in PLS pounds, bulk pounds, or a combination. A mix with both bases should not be described as having an all-PLS total.
PLS does not remove weed seeds or guarantee establishment. Review the seed label and analysis for weed content, and match site preparation, planting conditions and follow-up management to your project.
Sources: USDA NRCS, Understanding Pure Live Seed and The Importance of Seed Quality for Natural Resource Conservation.
Weight Conversions lbs. to oz.
Weight Conversions lbs. to oz.
0.01 pounds = 0.16 ounces
- 0.1 pounds = 1.6 ounces
- 0.25 pounds = 4 ounces
- 0.5 pounds = 8 ounces
- 0.75 pounds = 12 ounces
- 1.00 pounds = 16 ounces
Rough blazing star (Liatris aspera) has rounded clusters of purple flowers spaced along upright stems in late summer and early fall. The separated flower heads give the stalk a different appearance from blazing stars with tightly packed spikes. Narrow leaves cover the stem below the flowers.
Plant it in full sun with average to dry, well-drained soil. This is a useful choice for a dry prairie garden or an open, lean-soil planting. Its flowers can stand above lower foliage without requiring a large, bushy crown.
Small offsets may develop near the parent plant, gradually producing a group of flowering stems. Leave those groups among other plants that suit the same sunny, well-drained ground. Bees and butterflies visit the flowers, and birds can use the mature seed. The flower stalks can remain after bloom rather than being removed immediately.
Plant specifications & ecological relationships
Key growing facts
| Sunlight | Full sun |
|---|---|
| Soil moisture | Mesic to dry |
| Height | 2–5 ft |
| Bloom season | Late summer to early fall |
Native landscape companions
For full sun and dry-mesic soil, consider these native plants alongside Liatris aspera:
| Companion plant | Height |
|---|---|
| Round-headed Bush Clover (Lespedeza capitata) | 2-5 ft |
| Plains Oval Sedge (Carex brevior) | Flowering stems 2½–3¼ ft long; often leaning |
| Rosinweed (Silphium integrifolium) | 3-5 ft |
| Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium) | 2-5 ft |
These landscape suggestions combine overlapping growing needs with documented plant associations. Match soil, seasonal wetness and mature spread to your site. Remnant records are described separately under Plant communities & associates.
Show / hide ▾Growing & planting details
| Growth habit | Occasional offsets develop near the parent plant, producing small colonies |
|---|---|
| Root form | Corm |
| Soil pH | Acidic soils are described in the guide; numerical tolerance limits are not established |
| Cultivation hardiness zones | Zones 3a–8b (general cultivation guidance) |
| Drought tolerance | Strong drought resistance; a few lower leaves may wither |
| Deer browsing | Deer readily eat stems and foliage. |
Plant identification & seed reference
| Botanical name | Liatris aspera |
|---|---|
| Other common names | rough blazing star; Rough Blazing-star |
| Plant family | Asteraceae |
Plant characteristics
Button Blazing Star is a medium to tall prairie forb with distinctive flower spikes dotted with large buttons of clustered violet florets that bloom beginning in July. A favorite of bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, this blazing star favors dry sites and lean soils. It is very drought tolerant once established but may be consumed by rabbits and rodents particularly overwinters with tight food resources.
Show / hide ▾Plant communities & associates
Documented Illinois communities
Mature dry sand prairie — unburned
Lost Mound — Jo Daviess County, Illinois; 2005 survey.
Other native plants recorded in this survey area: Andropogon gerardii, Asclepias verticillata, Aster ericoides, Bouteloua hirsuta, Koeleria macrantha, Monarda punctata, Panicum virgatum, Rhus aromatica, Schizachyrium scoparium, Solidago nemoralis, Sorghastrum nutans, Ambrosia psilostachya.
Selected species from the ground layer. The survey includes disturbance and succession; these records do not specify immediate neighbors or planting proportions.
Late-successional dry sand prairie
Ayers Sand Prairie Nature Preserve — Carroll County, Illinois; 2004 survey.
Other native plants recorded in this survey area: Asclepias verticillata, Aster ericoides, Eragrostis spectabilis, Euphorbia corollata, Koeleria macrantha, Lespedeza capitata, Panicum virgatum, Schizachyrium scoparium, Solidago nemoralis, Viola pedata, Ambrosia psilostachya, Aristida tuberculosa.
Selected species from the ground layer. The survey includes disturbance and succession; these records do not specify immediate neighbors or planting proportions.
Early-successional disturbed dry sand prairie
Thomson-Fulton Sand Prairie Nature Preserve — Whiteside County, Illinois; 2004 survey.
Other native plants recorded in this survey area: Eragrostis spectabilis, Koeleria macrantha, Lespedeza capitata, Monarda punctata, Panicum virgatum, Rhus aromatica, Solidago nemoralis, Ambrosia psilostachya, Aristida tuberculosa, Carex muhlenbergii, Carex tonsa, Chrysopsis camporum.
Selected species from the ground layer. The survey includes disturbance and succession; these records do not specify immediate neighbors or planting proportions.
Illinois plant communities
Mesic black-soil prairie — central Illinois
Recorded at Weston Cemetery Prairie (McLean County). INHS identifies these sites as remnants of this community.
Selected native plants from the same remnant records:
- Sorghastrum nutans
- Andropogon gerardii
- Sporobolus heterolepis
- Eryngium yuccifolium
- Silphium laciniatum
- Amorpha canescens
These inventories include edges and disturbed patches. Shared remnant records do not establish that every plant grows together in one microsite.
Illinois plant communities
These regional accounts place this plant and the plants below in the same type of natural community. A community list does not mean that every species grew together in one plot. Use the habitat and location to understand the relationship; it is not a planting recipe.
- Mature wet-mesic sand prairie — Illinois sand deposits: Andropogon gerardii, Calamagrostis canadensis, Sorghastrum nutans, Spartina pectinata, Carex spp., Euphorbia corollata, Euthamia gymnospermoides, Parthenium integrifolium, Solidago canadensis. (pp. 265–266)
Green River community records
Dry sand prairie: Lee County, Illinois (2006). Selected catalog plants recorded in this community: Amorpha canescens; Antennaria plantaginifolia; Asclepias verticillata; Coreopsis lanceolata; Euphorbia corollata; Koeleria macrantha.
Dry-mesic sand prairie: Lee County, Illinois (2006). Selected catalog plants recorded in this community: Andropogon gerardii; Antennaria plantaginifolia; Asclepias verticillata; Euphorbia corollata; Lespedeza capitata; Parthenium integrifolium.
The study site includes restoration plantings. Community records do not establish county-native origin or a seed-mix recipe.
North Eldred — hill prairie
Native hill-prairie stand surveyed in 1949–1951. These dated records do not establish presence today.
Other native plants recorded in this surveyed community: Amorpha canescens, Bouteloua curtipendula, Ceanothus americanus, Echinacea pallida, Euphorbia corollata, Liatris cylindracea, Lobelia spicata, Monarda fistulosa, Phlox pilosa, Physostegia virginiana.
Evers 1955, Table 14. Selected associates from the same community; records do not show immediate neighbors or prescribe planting ratios.
Valmeyer — hill prairie
Native hill-prairie stand surveyed in 1949–1951. These dated records do not establish presence today.
Other native plants recorded in this surveyed community: Amorpha canescens, Bouteloua curtipendula, Ceanothus americanus, Echinacea pallida, Euphorbia corollata, Heuchera richardsonii, Liatris cylindracea, Monarda bradburiana, Phlox pilosa, Pycnanthemum pilosum.
Evers 1955, Table 14. Selected associates from the same community; records do not show immediate neighbors or prescribe planting ratios.
Reavis Spring — hill prairie
Native hill-prairie stand surveyed in 1949–1951. These dated records do not establish presence today.
Other native plants recorded in this surveyed community: Amorpha canescens, Bouteloua curtipendula, Echinacea pallida, Euphorbia corollata, Monarda fistulosa, Phlox bifida, Physostegia virginiana, Pycnanthemum pilosum, Ruellia humilis.
Evers 1955, Table 14. Selected associates from the same community; records do not show immediate neighbors or prescribe planting ratios.
Show / hide ▾Native range & C-value
State nativity describes a broad range. Use the Chicago-region assessment for local context; a state listing does not establish county nativity.
| Wetland indicator — Corps Chicago 2017 table | UPL |
|---|---|
| C-value — Chicago region, Flora 2017 | 8 |
| Chicago-region native — Flora 2017 | Yes |
| Native range — U.S. states | Alabama; Arkansas; Florida; Georgia; Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Kentucky; Louisiana; Michigan; Minnesota; Mississippi; Missouri; Nebraska; North Carolina; North Dakota; Ohio; Oklahoma; South Carolina; South Dakota; Tennessee; Texas; Virginia; West Virginia; Wisconsin |
| County nativity | Cook County, Illinois — native-remnant population documented in the 2000 survey. Partial county coverage; other counties have not yet been assessed here. |
Show / hide ▾Pollinators & wildlifeNo verified list yet
No additional named relationships have been verified for this listing.
Show / hide ▾Frequently asked questions
What are the ideal growing conditions for Button Blazing Star, Rough Blazing Star?
Light: Full sun. Soil moisture: Mesic to dry.
Is Button Blazing Star, Rough Blazing Star deer and herbivore resistant?
Deer readily eat stems and foliage. Even plants described as resistant may be browsed. Use physical protection where deer damage is a concern.
When should I expect Button Blazing Star, Rough Blazing Star to bloom?
Typical flowering period: Late summer to early fall. Timing varies with location and weather.
Show / hide ▾Sources & ecological notes
Landscape companion selection: Natural Communities compared the growing requirements shown on these species pages with selected source records: Early-successional disturbed dry sand prairie — Northwestern Illinois — Mississippi River sand deposits; Hill prairie — Illinois; Mesic black-soil prairie — Weston Cemetery Prairie — Central Illinois. The shortlist is a planting-design inference. A shared record does not establish adjacency, identical soil requirements, local seed origin, or a tested planting combination. Regional synthesis records retain their documented focal-to-associate scope.
Illinois communities & local records: INHS: Loda, Prospect and Weston prairie records; INHS: Illinois sand-area plant communities; Shouba & Murray: Wolf Road Prairie, Cook County (2000); Ebinger et al.: Green River communities (2009).
Native range & ecological ratings: Flora of the Chicago Region (2017), via Universal FQA; USACE Chicago FQA (2017); Kew WCVP / Plants of the World Online.
Growing conditions & other references: Illinois Wildflowers, John Hilty; Patrick Goggin: Wisconsin native plant guide, p. 75; NC State Extension Plant Toolbox.
Native range does not identify the origin of the seed or plants offered. Community and wildlife records apply to the locations and conditions described.
Research notes & credits
USACE/ERDC fqadata — Chicago Region FQA 2017. Herman, B., Sliwinski, R. & Whitaker, S. (2017), Chicago Region FQA Calculator; distributed by USACE/ERDC in fqadata under CC0. Values may differ from Flora of the Chicago Region (2017). CC0 dedication.
Range data: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; 4 June 2026 release, accessed 7 September 2026. © The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. CC BY 3.0; selected and reformatted. Kew cannot warrant the quality or accuracy of these data. This use has no Kew endorsement.
Source: Phillippe, L.R., Molano-Flores, B., Murphy, M.J.C., Marcum, P.B. & Ebinger, J.E. (2011), Status of Endangered and Threatened Sand Area Species of the Illinois Flora, Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin 39(4):259–296. © 2011 University of Illinois Board of Trustees; CC BY 4.0. Selected community facts regrouped and described by Natural Communities. Historical source names retained; no current legal conservation status is asserted.
Flora rating attribution: Kenneth Johnson (2018), Flora of the Chicago Region UFQA Database, following Gerould Wilhelm and Laura Rericha (2017), Flora of the Chicago Region: A Floristic and Ecological Synthesis. Individual rating facts are presented with original commentary; the calculator’s software license is not treated as a license for the underlying Flora publication.
Survey communities: Ebinger et al. (2006), Tables 1–12, Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin. CC BY 4.0; adapted as dated presence lists, with the source’s non-native records excluded from the displayed native lists.
Growing guidance: Illinois Extension — Keeping deer out of the yard and garden. Selected facts in original wording. General deer advice is not a species resistance rating.
Additional community records: Evers (1955), Hill Prairies of Illinois. Hill-prairie records adapted from Evers (1955), © University of Illinois Board of Trustees, CC BY 4.0. Selected facts and taxonomic links; source spellings and historical survey dates retained.
Plant Shipping & Care
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