Practical
Plants

Liatris squarrosa

a perennial member of the Liatris genus in the family Compositae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Liatris
Life cycle
perennial
Height
0.9 m
Fertility
Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The root is diuretic and tonic[6][8][4]. A poultice made from the roots is applied to snake bites[4].

Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Poultice
Product or use
Tonic

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The plant is used as an insect repellent in the clothes cupboard[6].

Product or use
Repellent

Environment

Range
Eastern N. America - Ontario to Pennsylvania, Virginia, Florida, South Dakota and Texas.
Habitat
Dry open woods, clearings and fields, chiefly argillaceous[7]. Usually found on sandy soils[5].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 4+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in autumn in a greenhouse[2]. Sow stored seed as soon as possible in the year in a greenhouse. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow the plants on in the greenhouse for their first year. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer. Division in spring[1]. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring. Basal cuttings taken in spring as growth commences. Harvest the shoots when they are about 10cm long with plenty of underground stem. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Grows well in a moderately good light soil[2].Tolerates poor soils[2]. Plants are prone to rot overwinter in wet soils[2]. A good bee plant. Rodents are very fond of the tubers so the plants may require some protection[2].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  2. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  3. Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5

  4. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2

  5. Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas Botanical Research Institute, Texas. 1999-00-00 http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm

    ↩

  6. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2

  7. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩

  8. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

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