Liatris aspera i think....I've had it before :)

TR, that's Liatris punctata if I remember correctly? Or is it L. punctata var. mucronata?

Almost all of my Liatris except L. ligulistylis have had to be staked -- punctata, pycnostachya and aspera. Two of the pycnostachya are relatively straight but also a lot shorter, perhaps because they have more competition from big bluestem as well as a little more sunlight.

My overall theory is that Liatris, especially more western species, get snaky when they grow too fast -- either because they are racing to reach more sunlight, or because they have an abundance of water/nutrients, or both. That makes the stems relatively weak, and then they fall or lean and start to bend back toward the light. I wouldn't doubt though that there are genetic differences which might make some more prone to snakiness than others, maybe that's the issue with yours.

FYI, the genus Liatris is divided into sections, including the following:

• punctata (native range is drier than most L. species)
• pycnostachya, spicata
• aspera, scariosa, ligulistylis

I think TR has mucronata, since she gave me some of it. I'm not absolutely 100% on that..but I think so.

I do a lot of pruning/lopping of Liatris else they get too tall and flop over. I do the same with Asters, and sun flower, like H maximillian.

Err, the liatris that I grow won't recover from pruning...you simply cut the flowers off for the year. It doesn't side branch.

Also if grown drier and less fertile and full sun, these plants don't naturally flop.

great Liatris!!!!!

It is odd how things just show up in the yard. I have what I think is a Bone Stitch plant that showed up next to some Milkweed I purchased last year. I also have something that looks like a marigold leaves with a small yellow flower that grows pretty big and has spiny seeds.

I have liatris punctata and ligualistylus growing in almost pure sand, and neither ever flops.

Martha

Maybe yours don't flop because of the shortness of the growing season in Michigan. That reminds me, I need to through some seed out of some L. munconata today.

wantanamara----I cut mine back this last weekend and I've got a big grocery bag stuffed full of seeds with your name on it if you want it.

Sure. No rush just sometime so they can cold harden outdoors. I leave my bags outside sometimes when the weather is right to harden.

I am trying to get a bunch of stuff mailed to you. No paper bags of stuff since your yard is smaller and garden . I will be emailing you with some questions later today.