Floristan Violet Blazing Star Seeds

Floristan Violet Blazing Star Seeds

Great for Fresh and Dried Cutflowers!

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(P) Pkt of 50 seeds
Item # 01158-PK-P1
Available to ship.
$2.95
Buy 3+ at $2.25 ea
Buy 6+ at $1.95 ea

Once a humble American prairie perennial, Liatris (familiarly known as Blazing Star or Gayfeather) is now a celebrity in vases everywhere! Its tall spikes of flowers, irresistible to butterflies, have become a mainstay of the commercial cut-flower industry, both for fresh and dried arrangements. And now you can grow the best variety of them all for cutting right in your garden: brilliant, long-blooming, flower-packed Floristan!

A sun-loving delight in border and container, Floristan sets a low-growing rosette of long, slender bright green leaves, topped by flowerspikes that reach 2 to 3 feet high and are simply packed with magenta-purple florets. The show begins in mid- to late summer in most climates, continuing through the first part of fall. This is a time when many gardens are craving some fresh, bright color. Rely on Floristan to deliver it every time!

Because it is a selection of a native American plant, Floristan is very well adapted to different garden conditions. It puts up with heat and periods of drought, especially if pampered the first year so that it establishes well in the garden. Reaching 3 feet high and spreading 18 to 24 inches wide, it is a big presence in the border or meadow garden, every inch covered in color and visiting butterflies over a long season of bloom!

Floristan was developed in Germany for the cut-flower market, but home gardeners quickly realized it was absolutely the best for their needs, too. This variety is easy to start from seed, growing easily and very dependable.

Start the seeds outdoors or indoors. Germination is slow but reliable; just give the seeds extra time if they don't sprout when you expect them to. Outdoors, sow them at a depth of 4 times their size, anytime from early spring (best) through summer. They will usually germinate within a month. Indoors, pop the seed packet into the fridge for a couple weeks before sowing. Then drop one seed into each bio sponge of the Bio Dome, or sow it at a depth of 4 times its size in a seed flat or other grow medium. Room temperature is fine during the day, but chilly nights (down to the 50s) are appreciated for faster germination. Again, germination will take nearly a month, and if it hasn't happened by then, give them another week or so of grace. Liatris can be fickle, but ultimately comes through!

Once you have seedlings, everything else is easy! Liatris will bloom the second year from seed, and it forms a tuber underground that you can divide in early spring, once the plant has bloomed for a few years. This brings you new plants without having to wait for the seeds to mature!

Just about the only thing you can really do wrong with Liatris is to let the roots (and tuber) get too wet. Select a site with good drainage, and don't overwater the plants --they would rather be too dry than too wet. The rest is simple, and this perennial will bloom for many years, delighting you with its beauty and adaptability to drought, heat, humidity, poor soil, and other environmental stresses! Make it a mainstay of your cutting, butterfly, and native plant garden! Zones 4-9.

Liatris Germination Information

Liatris is the botanical name for Blazing Star
Liatris Seed Germination How to Sow Liatris:
  • Sow indoors at alternating temperatures of 55 and 72° at a depth of 4 times the diameter of the seed
  • Expect germination in 15-20 days
  • Will flower within the first year if started early/li>
  • Seeds can also be sown outdoors from early spring through summer, up to two months before frost
  • When sowing outdoors, expect germination in 20-25 days
  • If sowing seed outdoors, we recommend a maximum planting depth of 4X the width of the seed

How to Grow Liatris:
Transplanting: Transplant when there are at least two sets of true leaves

Spacing: Plant out 12-15 inches apart in full sun to light shade. Provide a sandy, light, well-drained, only moderately fertile soil as plants may rot in heavy, wet soils during the winter

Soil: Blazing Star is very drought tolerant and can be planted in the extreme environment of dry, stony ground. Very tolerant of poor soils

Temp Grow on at 55-60° days and 50-55° nights under high light levels. Very tolerant of heat and cold

Additional Care:  When plants need dividing, break the tubers apart in the spring

Appearance and Use:

A strongly upright, 3-5 feet tall by 18 inches wide, perennial for borders and naturalized gardens. Good for cut flower use. The 18-28 inch tall flower spikes open from the top down from late summer to early fall, attracting bees and butterflies all the while. Flowers are densely borne along the spike; each flower being only 1/2 inch diameter and pink-purple or white in color with a fringed look to the petals. The flower spikes and thin, long (12-16 inches long) leaves add vertical interest to the garden


About Liatris:
Pronunciation:  le-a’tris spi-ka’tå
Lifecycle:  Perennial
Origination: Asteraceae; native to North America
Common Name: Blazing Star

Superior Germination Through Superior Science

Park's Superior Seeds Park Seed's humidity- and temperature-controlled seed storage vault Park Seed offers some of the highest-quality vegetable and flower seeds available in the industry, and there are a number of reasons for this.

First of all, we have humidity- and temperature-controlled storage, and we never treat any of our seeds with chemicals or pesticides. Nor do we ever sell GMO's (genetically modified seeds), so you always know the products you're buying from us are natural as well as safe for you and the environment.

Superior Standards - University Inspected

Testing seeds against minimum germination standards To make sure we are providing the best seed product possible and that our customers will get the highest number of seedlings from every packet, we conduct our own germination testing and have quality-control measures in every stage of our seed-handling operation. We hold ourselves to standards that are at or above federal and state standards, including testing specific crops more frequently than recommended by federal guidelines. And in order to maintain our organic certification, we welcome Clemson University to inspect us annually to make sure our organic seeds, which are stored and processed separately, are being handled properly.

Hand Packed By Experienced Technicians

Park Seed has been handling and packing vegetable and flower seeds for 145 years, a history that has given us a great understanding of how each variety should be cared for and maintained throughout every step of theprocess, from collection to shipping.

When packing our seeds, the majority are actually done by hand (with extreme care!), and we often over-pack them, so you're receiving more than the stated quantity.

The Park Seed Gold Standard

Park Seed's exclusive Fresh-Pak gold foil seed packets And many of our seeds are packed in our exclusive Fresh-Pak gold foil packets, which are lined to keep moisture out, so the seeds stay fresher for longer. We carefully pack very tiny or fragile seeds in crush-proof vials to ensure safe delivery to your home. Some of the small seeds are also offered as "pellets" (have a clay coating) to make sowing and growing easier.

When it comes to the kinds of seeds we offer, we are constantly seeking something new and provide many unique and hard-to-find varieties from all around the world. Our on-staff horticulturists are ready and available to share their expertise to help you with the success of these seeds, so you can grow a beautiful and productive garden!
Does Park sell GMO's or treated seeds?
GMO freeIt is important for our customers to know that Park Seed does not sell GMO or treated seed. We do buy a small amount of traditional hybrid seed from Seminis, a division of Monsanto Co., but that is all we purchase from them.

What are the differences between organic, heirloom, and hybrid seed?
Basically, organic seeds are seeds that are produced without the use and exposure to artificial/chemical fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, and other chemicals. They have to be grown, harvested, stored, and handled under very strict organic rules and procedures. All of our organic seeds are USDA 100% certified organic through Clemson University and the certificate has to be renewed yearly.

Heirloom Seeds are open-pollinated -- they are not hybrids. You can gather and save heirloom seed from year to year and they will grow true to type every year, so they can be passed down through generations. To be considered an heirloom, a variety would have to be at least from the 1940's and 3 generations old (many varieties are much older -- some 100 years or more!).

Hybrid seed are the product of cross-pollination between 2 different parent plants, resulting in a new plant/seed that is different from the parents. Unlike Heirloom seed, hybrid seed need to be re-purchased new every year (and not saved). They usually will not grow true to type if you save them, but will revert to one of the parents they were crossed with and most likely look/taste different in some way.

What are pelleted seeds? Why do you use them? How do I handle/sow them?
Pelleted pentas seedsExtremely small seed such as Petunias and Pentas are shipped as pelleted seed to make them easier to handle and sow. Pelleted seed are coated, usually with clay, to make them larger in size. After sowing, the coating will dissolve when wet and the seed will germinate. Pelleted seeds are shipped in vials placed inside seed packets, which protects them from being crushed. When sowing, be certain to use thoroughly moistened soil, to be sure that the clay coating absorbs enough moisture to dissolve. For sowing pelleted Petunia seeds, place the seeds directly on the soil surface and do not cover with soil, as light aids in the germination.

What is ideal temperature to germinate most seeds?
The ideal temperature to germinate most seeds is approximately 70 degrees F; give or take 1-2 degrees either way. This would be a good germination temperature for most flower and vegetable seeds and would be the most practical and feasible temperatures achieved for gardeners starting seeds in the home. You will notice for some seeds that it is recommended to use alternating day (warmer), night (cooler), temperatures, which is fine if one can provide such conditions. But most people are unable to provide those temperatures in a home setting, so just use the overall 70 degree F recommendation and the seeds should germinate well.

How long should grow lights be kept on per day and how close to the plants should the light be kept?
For germination and seedling/plant growth, you want to simulate the natural day-night cycles, and as a general rule, grow lights should be on 8-12 hours per day and off at night. You can vary this timing, as some seeds such as tomato, pepper, petunia, impatiens, and others, benefit from 14-17 hours of light per day (and the remainder of the 24 hour period in darkness). The most common grow lights used are fluorescent; using cool white, warm white, and wide-spectrum fluorescent tubes. These lights work well for germination and for growing plants up to a transplantable size. Fluorescent lights should be kept close though, 3-6 inches above the soil or the growing plants, adjusting the height as the plants grow.

How long will seeds keep in storage?
Park Seed stores seed in a special temperature- and humidity-controlled storage facility, which keeps seeds in excellent condition. Our seeds should be good for at least 1-2 years on average. Seed viability and storage time will vary depending on the seed item; some will keep a shorter time and some will keep longer. Seeds should be stored in a cool, dark, dry place. A basement will do (if not too humid), or a cool, dark room or closet. We recommend the best way to extend seed storage life is to store them in something air tight, such as a plastic zipper storage bag or canning jar, and place it in the refrigerator. This will extend the life of seeds for many years.

What is the best way to store seeds over a longer time period?
We recommend the best way to extend seed storage life is to store seeds in something air tight, such as a plastic zipper storage bag or canning jar, and place it in the refrigerator. This will extend the life of seeds for many years.

What depth should I sow various seeds?
When sowing seed outdoors, we recommend a maximum planting depth of 4X the width of the seed. When sowing seed indoors, the planting depth can be less, depending on the seed being sown, so it is always best to check specific directions. Here are some general guidelines concerning planting depth in relation to seed size: Tiny, dust-like seeds need to be sown on the surface of the growing medium or soil, uncovered, as they need light to germinate. The planting depth for small seed can be anywhere from barely covering, to 1/8-inch deep, to possibly 1/4-inch deep, depending on the recommendation. Medium seed should be planted at 1/4- to 1/2-inch deep, depending on the recommendation. Larger seeds can be planted 1-inch or deeper, depending on the recommendation.

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