Liatris Kobold

Yes, Liatris is literally a magnet for insects. During its long flowering period (July to September), bees, bumblebees, and various types of colorful butterflies will constantly swarm around it. This makes it an absolutely ideal and, moreover, carefree choice for natural and ecological gardens.

The winter effect means that the plant remains decorative in the flower bed for many months after it has finished blooming. We therefore recommend not cutting back the Liatris stems with dried spikes in the autumn, but leaving them untouched in their place.

When light snow falls on them or frost covers them in winter, they create a beautiful vertical structure and a wonderful sight in an otherwise empty garden.

The magnificent inflorescences appear in mid-summer – from July to September.

The plant is unique, especially in how it blooms. While the vast majority of spike-flowered plants begin blooming from the bottom up, Liatris surprisingly opens its flowers from the top down. This interesting phenomenon earned it the descriptive folk name 'blazing star' (top-flower).

You don't need to have the slightest concern. Liatris is neither poisonous nor toxic to humans and is completely safe for dogs, cats, and other domestic animals.

Although it is not an herb or crop intended for consumption, if a curious child or your pet happens to nibble on it, they are at absolutely no health risk.

Liatris originates from the North American prairies, which is why it absolutely loves full sun. Choose a spot for it that receives sunlight for most of the day.

While it can handle partial shade, it will bloom much more abundantly, be more vigorous overall, and its stems will remain perfectly sturdy in full sun.

Well-drained, humus-rich soil is essential for it. It thrives in sandy-loam garden soil that does not retain excess water. It also tolerates drier soils.

Conversely, heavy, clay-like, and permanently waterlogged soils are unsuitable for Liatris, as its underground corms can very easily rot in them.

You will receive the seedling from us already rooted in a pot. As soon as it arrives, we recommend transplanting it directly into the flower bed as soon as possible.

Choose a sunny spot for it and water the plant well before planting. If you cannot plant it immediately, place it outdoors in a bright spot and keep the substrate slightly moist.

The best and most reliable way to easily propagate Liatris or rejuvenate it after many years is by dividing older clumps.

Division should ideally take place early in the spring, even before the plant starts to sprout fully. Carefully dig up the entire clump and divide the clusters of tubers with a sharp tool so that each separated part has at least one viable eye.

A big advantage of Liatris is the fact that it does not suffer from any common diseases. The leaves and stems are usually beautifully healthy, and even a complete beginner can handle growing it.

However, you must watch out for the field vole. Unfortunately, these small rodents find the plant's succulent corms tasty and can destroy them from below. If you are struggling with them in your garden, we recommend using protective wire baskets when planting.

Definitely! Liatris is excellent for cutting. Its striking vertical shape and vibrant color beautifully liven up any summer bouquet.

Furthermore, it stays fresh in a vase for a very long time. Unlike other cultivars, however, it is not suitable to dry the long flowers of this one, so it is best to enjoy its amazing beauty fresh.

Surprisingly, the most common reason for Liatris dying over winter is not frost (it can handle down to -34 °C), but accidental waterlogging. If the seedling was planted in heavy, impermeable soil that retains excessive water in winter, the tubers will simply rot in the cold.

Another common reason is that voles discovered the tubers over the winter and used them as a hearty food source.