Dotted Blazingstar (Liatris punctata)
Like most Liatris, Dotted Blazingstar is visited by many native bees, especially bumblebees, butterflies, and skippers. It is also the host plant to 2 specialist bees, Melissodes coloradensis, Melissodes vernoniae, plus 6 species of butterflies and moths (Johnson and Colla, 2023). Dotted Blazingstar is listed as Presumed extirpated (legally 'threatened' if rediscovered) in Michigan (mnfi.anr.msu.edu).
Photo credit: Matt Levin
Like most Liatris, Dotted Blazingstar is visited by many native bees, especially bumblebees, butterflies, and skippers. It is also the host plant to 2 specialist bees, Melissodes coloradensis, Melissodes vernoniae, plus 6 species of butterflies and moths (Johnson and Colla, 2023). Dotted Blazingstar is listed as Presumed extirpated (legally 'threatened' if rediscovered) in Michigan (mnfi.anr.msu.edu).
Photo credit: Matt Levin
Like most Liatris, Dotted Blazingstar is visited by many native bees, especially bumblebees, butterflies, and skippers. It is also the host plant to 2 specialist bees, Melissodes coloradensis, Melissodes vernoniae, plus 6 species of butterflies and moths (Johnson and Colla, 2023). Dotted Blazingstar is listed as Presumed extirpated (legally 'threatened' if rediscovered) in Michigan (mnfi.anr.msu.edu).
Photo credit: Matt Levin
Life Cycle: Perennial
Sun Exposure: Full-Partial
Soil Moisture: Medium-Med/dry
Height: 2 feet
Plant Spacing: 1 foot
Bloom Time: July-September
Bloom Color: Purple
Advantages: Pollinator Favorite, Deer Resistant Great Landscaping Plant
Host Plant: 6 species of butterflies and moths use this as a caterpillar host plant in our area (Johnson and Colla, 2023)
Specialist Bee: Melissodes coloradensis and Melissodes vernoniae (Johnson and Colla, 2023)
Species of concern: State Status: Presumed extirpated State Rank: Presumed extirpated (mnfi.anr.msu.edu)
Resource: Johnson, Lorraine, and Sheila Colla. A Northern Gardener’s Guide to Native Plants and Pollinators: Creating Habitat in the Northeast, Great Lakes, and Upper Midwest. Island Press, 2023
