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Butterfly Garden

too late to start Liatris ligulistylis from seed?

9 years ago

I've never grown this, but based on what I read here, really wanted to have it this year. A local nursery that carries a lot of butterfly plants usually carries it. But this year they don't have it! (They had staff and seed issues.) Same story at a second nursery. Darn!! :-)

Is it too late to start it from seed this year?

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Comments (7)

Leafhead
9 years ago
As long as it is properly stratified before you get it, it shouldn't be too late, especially with the cool Spring we've had. You may not get blooming plants this year, but they will overwinter if they're old enough when Winter comes.

John
Liz
9 years ago
I'm not sure where you could get stratified seed. It takes 60 days of moist cold to germinate, so if you try to do it yourself in the refrigerator you would be setting out the plants very late in the season. I would go for the plants, if I were you. Prairie Nursery is selling them, and they ship beautiful stock.

Here is a link that might be useful: Prairie Nursery
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I often start perennial and biannual seed in July. Right now I have shasta daisy, sweet william, foxgloves, painted daisy already germinated and am waiting on delphinium, columbine, salvia and sage to get started. I find it much easier to get them started outside when the soil is already warm and the temps make germination faster. If you start seed in July you can expect the plants to flower the following year. Some perennial and biannual seeds are very easy and some are hard. I follow directions on back of packet as far as if the seed needs to be covered or needs light and some need to be frozen for a while, set them on wet miracle grow potting mix, water well, but gently and put in a shady place until germination starts and then I move them to an area that gets a few hours of morning sun a day. Once their first set of true leaves is out I will move them into a place that gets 4 or 5 hours of morning sun. When their second set of leaves shows up the seedlings will be moved to either a nursery bed in my veg garden or for some into their permanent spot right away. The bulk will go to the veg garden and those I might cover with shade cloth if it is very hot (it will be in Arkansas in August). The hardest thing is to keep the soil moist while germination is going on and when they are vey small. Sometimes I have a complete failure, but for some like shasta, sweet william, foxgloves, painted daisy, gillardia they are so easy you will get dozens of plants. Almost always I get at least a few. Well worth the couple of bucks the packet of seed costs. Hope this helps.
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Sharon, do you mean just put them into the ground (under some snow) in a bed and hope for the best. Please give me detailed instructions. I was thinking of planting them in a small bed next to the garage. There is quite a bit of overhang, but the bed gets heat reflected off the white brick and gets about 5-6 hours of mid day sun (my clary sage and cosmos do well here). The other spot is amongst my coneflowers in an open bed. I read alot of your posts and am learning alot. Rita
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I have to go one of these days! I should sign up to get the email as it's my only hope of remembering... I live in northern San Diego county, in a little pocket of the "mountains" where we have a very temperate microclimate - 10 miles in either direction can be 10-15 degrees warmer or colder than where we are - perfect for my gardening habit. Normally, though, I wouldn't plant out this early either, but last year we had an abnormally warm February, and as soon as I saw that this year seemed to be going the way last year did, I got in high gear. I like it when I can get things in early (especially tomatoes) as we always seem to get heavy insect pressure when it really starts to warm up. The bigger the head start I can get on those dang spider and russet mites, the better.
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Ruth_MI
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks to both of you for the info. Yes, I'd prefer plants since the seed needs 60 days of cold strat. There's a vendor I want to check with at our farmer's market on Thursday, but if she doesn't have it I'll likely go the Prairie Nursery route. Appreciate the recommendation!
docmom_gw
9 years ago
Ruth,
I have about a thousand new seedlings in my garden, and a milk jug of wintersown seedlings I'd be thrilled to send to you. I started my plants from seed two years ago. They bloomed last summer ( year two) and I collected a ton of seed. Apparently, enough seed was left to self seed my bed very generously. We've had a very moist spring, so every seed that fell has sprouted. I wintersowed one milk jug just to guarantee I would have plants, but I have more than I need already in the garden. Email me your address and I'll find a way to send you some seedlings.

Martha
Ruth_MI
Original Author
9 years ago
Martha,

That is so generous! I'll email you. Thanks!!
Tony G
9 years ago
as many seeds as liatris ligulistylis puts out it's amazing how few actually germinate.

Dr. Liz, I got some plants from Prairie nursery a few years back and it was NOT the right liatris...happened to someone else I know too.

The liatris bloomed a month too early and it was 2-3 feet shorter than our "real" liatris ligulistylis.

When I contacted them about it, they insisted it was the right liatris. The next year it bloomed early and was too short again....definitely not the right plant.

I got real liatris from prairie MOON nursery about 5 years ago and those plants have been excellent.

I am sure prairie nursery has some good plants, but I would not advise buying liatris from them.
Liz
9 years ago
Interesting about Prairie Nursery's liatris. Could it possibly be a different clone? Sometimes species will vary a good deal across their range. Of course, it could simply be mislabeled, as you say.
Liz

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