Being on top is usually a good position. It is the place which denotes exceptional accomplishment and has the best view, especially of those below who are looking up in anticipation of reaching the pinnacle.
Starting at the top is substantially rarer. There are historical examples, but they are very few which frequently arose with a combination of unique skills and fortuitous circumstances.
There is one genus of a native wildflower which begins its colorful display at the top, literally. The Blazing Star activates its annual flowering at the top of its towering bloom spike and works it way down the green stalk.
While the environmental conditions for the flamboyant display are specific, fortunately they occur on a regular basis in panhandle Florida. The members of the Liatris genus, which have the common name Blazing Star, have seven species which are all found in panhandle Florida.
Swaying in fall breezes, Blazing Stars add to the polychromatic wildflower bloom as the muted tones of winter approach.
Additional species in this genus grow as far north as Ontario, Canada, and west to Wyoming. Sometimes they are confused with Lupines which have a similarly shaped bloom spike.
Blooming from mid-summer to mid-autumn, the bluish-purple flowers are a distinctive sight and are seldom confused with other species. Six of the seven varieties produce a column of thick bloom clusters with a height potential of three feet or more.
They are located in full sun sites such as fallow fields, fence rows and infrequently mowed rights-of-way. Their requirement of solar exposure prevents them from appearing in partial to full shade.
Sandy, well drained soils commonly found in north Florida pinelands are where these plants are most likely to be encountered. The acidic growing medium is home to many native plants found away from coastal areas.
These plants, which are in the same botanical family with asters and daisies, are not likely to be found in coastal areas. Salt tolerance is low and the soils tend to be alkaline, conditions which create an intolerable setting.
In addition to enhancing the hues within the native landscape, this genus of plants is a critical component to the survival of native pollinators. It provides nutrition in two ways.
The column of blooms on Blazing Stars offers local pollinators and migrating butterflies a colorful and easily identifiable dining site.
The foliage of these perennials is the sole source for two species of native flower moth’s caterpillars and is a feedstock for moth larvae in the Schinin moth genus, too. The nectar from Blazing Stars supports a variety of insect pollinators.
Among the frequent consumers of this wildflower’s high energy juice are the Monarch butterflies which are migrating to Mexico. Flying at ten to 30 feet above the landscape, masses of blooms are nature’s rest-stop on the annual trip south.
The Monarchs and other insects help assure the Blazing Star’s pollen is scattered to other plants within the species. This supports the genetic diversity and continuation of this critical link in the local environment.
Seeds mature in the autumn and are scattered by wind, water and animals. Additionally, this plant overwinters with root corms which will regrow the plant in spring.
Currently at the summit of the native wildflower bloom, this showy bloomer is tops with bugs, butterflies and many people.
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