It has highly unusual flower heads featuring tiny and colorful star-like blossoms arranged around a long upright bottlebrush spire.
These are prairie plants in their native habitat, so the more sun, the better they will perform.
Very rich soils may require that you stake the plants, as the stalks can be a bit floppy.
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Blazing star prefers a slightly acidic to neutral soil pH.
Heavy clay can cause root rot, especially in winter, if the soil doesn’t drain well.
Water
After planting, water the corms thoroughly.
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The corms do not need additional irrigation until stalks sprout.
Apply water to the base of the plants, or usedrip irrigation, to avoid spreading fungal diseases.
Wet winter soils can cause the corms to rot.
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In most decent soils, however, it usually does fine with no feeding whatsoever.
It’s easy to propagate this plant by digging up the root corms and separating them.
Doing this every few years will also help rejuvenate the plants and extend the life of a clump.
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The seeds will require four to six weeks ofcold stratificationto germinate.
Any well-draining container filled with a good porous potting mix will work.
To ensure winter survival, move the containers to a sheltered location as freezing weather approaches.
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Overwintering
Within its hardiness range, blazing star does not need any special winter cold protection.
check that to clean away soggy garden debris in the spring before new growth begins.
The best approach is to prevent these diseases by giving the plants good sunlight and air circulation.
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Young plants sometimes withhold flowers for the first year or two until the root systems become well established.
What Do Blazing Star Flowers Look and Smell Like?
The pure species has bright purple flower spikes, but there are also pink and white cultivars available.
Fresh blazing star does not have any scent, but dried flowers may emit a faint vanilla fragrance.
How to Encourage More Blooms
The largest corms will produce the most impressive flowers.
For better blooms, start by choosing corms that approach three inches or more in diameter.
If mature plants fail to bloom at all, it may be a problem of soil fertility.
Try blending in aslow-release fertilizerinto the soil around the plants each spring.
Also, check to ensure the plant receives enough sunlight.
Do not deadhead any blooms if you want the plants to reseed.
In most cases, staking the plants is not necessary.
Paradoxically, rich, fertile soils can cause the flower stalks to topple over.
In this case, you may need to stake up the flower stalks.
Unfortunately, these plants will need to be removed.
Future problems can often be avoided by reducing water or improving soil drainage.
Plants You Might Also Like
Plant blazing star in wildflower meadows and cottage gardens.
Blazing star plants or corms should be spaced rather than grouped.
Blazing star is perennial that blooms in late summer.
