The flower spikes of this perennial add vibrant colour to the streamside plantings.
Liatris spicata ‘Floristan Violet’ is a distinct member of the daisy family, with linear basal tufts of leaves emerging from rhizomatous roots. It produces a dense, corymb-like spike to 90cm in height, of violet-pink flowers, which bloom from the top down. The straight species, L. spicata, is commonly known as gayfeather, and is a native of the eastern and southern United States, where it grows in hot, dry stony, prairie conditions, though, as here, it will grow in shadier, moist spots. It is a valuable food source for bees and butterflies, is a good cut flower, and the wand-like inflorescences bring another dimension to plantings.