Skip to content
Plants of cat-tail gayfeather (Liatris pycnostachya) in a garden.Daderot, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

(Liatris pycnostachya)
Cat-tail Gayfeather

Hosted Species: Wavy-lined Emerald, Liatris Leaf Borer

Nectar Plant: many insects including other butterflies, bees, wasps, and birds such as hummingbirds.  Mammals graze on this plant for food.

Flower Color: lavender, pink or purplish-pink

Growth Habit: herbaceous perennial that grows from 2 to 5 feet tall

Range in North America: Southern, mid-west and northeastern United States

Exposure: Prefers full sun

Hardiness: Zones 3-9

Soil Requirements: moist to medium, well-drained soil

Affiliate Disclosure: When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Cat-tail Gayfeather (Liatris pycnostachya)

Plants of cat-tail gayfeather (Liatris pycnostachya) in a garden.
Plants of Cat-tail Gayfeather in Garden — Daderot, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Alternative Names

Prairie Blazing Star, Cattail Gayfeather, Cattail Blazing Star, Thick-spike Gayfeather, Tall Blazing Star

Hosted Species

Wavy-lined Emerald (Synchlora aerata)

Wavy-lined Emerald (Synchlora aerolata) on fabric.
Wavy-lined Emerald on Fabric — CBG Photography Group, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Nectar Species

Other butterflies, bees, and Wasps use this plant as a nectar source.

Habitat

This gayfeather grows in open areas such as prairies, open woods, meadows, glades, and rocky bluffs.

Range of Cat-tail Gayfeather (Liatris pycnostachya) in the United States and Canada

Range map of cat-tail gayfeather (Liatris pycnostachya).

Interesting Facts

The genus name, Liatris, is of unknown origin and the species name, pycnostachya, is Greek for an “ear of grain.”

Native Location

Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin

Exposure Requirements

Full Sun

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

Zone 3, Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9

Plant Habit

Herbaceous

Soil Requirements

Medium, Moist

Reviews

There are no reviews yet.

Be the first to review “(Liatris pycnostachya)
Cat-tail Gayfeather”

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

4 + thirteen =

Related products

The owner of this website has made a commitment to accessibility and inclusion, please report any problems that you encounter using the contact form on this website. This site uses the WP ADA Compliance Check plugin to enhance accessibility.