Liatris scariosa var. nieuwlandii 'Franklin'

Liatris scariosa var. nieuwlandii 'Franklin' has been a star in our garden since we planted our first patch in 2004. This 5' tall giant produces large, well-branched flower heads, each composed of dozens of widely-spaced, shaggy purple button-like flowers. Liatris scariosa var. nieuwlandii is an uncommon prairie native throughout its range, from New York to Arkansas. In addition to being taller and having larger flowers than typical Liatris scariosa, the natural variety nieuwlandii is also more tolerant of open, filtered shade. For us, flowering starts in mid-August and continues into October. Liatris scariosa is a particular favorite of a variety of bees.