Liatris scariosa

‘September Glory’

GAYFEATHER

Liatris scariosa ‘September Glory’
GAYFEATHER

Liatris scariosa ‘September Glory’ is a charmer.

Fragrance plus charmingly tousled & disarrayed flowers

With fragrance; charmingly tousled and disarrayed flowers rising up on tall, straight stems; tough constitution; and a particularly long blooming period.
So stout spires of purple, fragrant, fringed blooms begin to rise up in summer.
Then continue on progressively longer spires as the summer and autumn unfold.

Interestingly, and different to many other plants, flowers open from the top of the spire down.

Tough constitution 

Liatris scariosa ‘September Glory’ does well in poor soil, and will withstand heat, cold and even drought or humidity, with barely a blink.
It can withstand heavy frosts and remain hardy down to at least -20C, depending on conditions.
And then go on to cope with humid summers.
While they are not completely immune, Liatris are not particularly attractive to rabbits and deer with their tough, reed-like foliage.
And blissfully largely untroubled by pests and diseases, and very low maintenance.
So the only work required is to harvest flower spires if you wish.

Commercial quality cut flowers

Florists and commercial cut flower growers love Liatris scariosa ‘September Glory’.
Because they have an exceptionally long vase life as they continue to open flowers along the long, straight, strong stems.
And because they are so hardy and easy to grow.

Water-wise for those with limited water

Because Liatris scariosa ‘September Glory’ is not a thirsty plant, it is a water-wise choice where water is limited.
So it is drought resistant with minimal care.
Soil must be well drained, but otherwise Liatris scariosa is not particularly fussy.
Though it is possibly best grown a little mean and lean, so it thinks about flowering rather than making abundant foliage

I believe it gained the common name of “Gayfeather” centuries before the modern use of the term Gay.

75cm. High in flower in most gardens, but can make spires up to 90cm. tall in fertile soils x 45cm Wide compact clump of reed like foliage.

 SEED SOWING ADVICE:

Sow indoors at any time / or directly in garden late winter-spring.

INDOORS: Sow on surface of good quality seed raising mix. Press seeds gently into the mix. Barely cover with mix, as light helps germination.

Keep the punnet moist in a warm, well-lit place.
Temperatures of 15-20°C approx. are optimum for fast germination.

Seedlings emerge in 30-40 days approx.

But if the seeds are shy to break dormancy and sprout – then cling wrap the moist punnet & place in fridge (not freezer) for 4-6 weeks.

Then remove from fridge, unwrap punnet & return to warm, well-lit place at 15-20°C approx. Continue to keep moist.

SEED COUNT: 15 seeds per pack.
(We always aim to exceed the stated seed count, and give a generous serve).

To go back to seeds click here!

For perennial plants & garden holidays click here!