How could you walk by a dotted gayfeather (Liatris punctata) in full bloom and not take notice?
We've had a horrible summer here - temperatures in the 100's for 53 days, little rain, everything is crispy dry, most plants are trying to decide if they're going to try to hang on or just give up the fight...and here is this beautiful dotted gayfeather, blooming lushly, as if in the middle of Plant Heaven.
I can't help it - my spirits rise when I see the dotted gayfeathers blooming now on my morning walkabouts.
It was seeing these beautiful prairie plants at the end of our first summer here that made me think perhaps we had a bit of unplowed prairie hidden within the overgrazed pasture out back. I only saw a few that first year - one reasonable patch and one other small clump. Now, 4 years later, even after this summer, I have 3 large patches, a couple smaller ones, and a few scattered individuals here and there. It's not happening rapidly, but it feels like the prairie is beginning to return.
The bittersweet part of seeing the dotted gayfeathers bloom is that I know it's the beginning of the final fall floral fanfare. Missouri goldenrod and annual sunflowers are also blooming now. The Canadian goldenrod is starting. Soon the other goldenrods and sunflowers will be joining in and the asters along with them. For a couple glorious weeks, the roadsides and gardens will be full of gold and purple and white - a final celebration of color before the muted colors of cold weather take hold.
Feast on the rich color! Fill up on the bright orange of monarchs nectaring on their way south! Delight in the clear blue of the fall skies! The bountiful fall banquet is beginning!
2 comments:
Ours started blooming last week too! It really catches the eye in the pasture full of brown grass! Last fall I was able to successfully transplant 2 clumps to the hot area between my pond and the house. They are growing well, but haven't yet bloomed. .I will certainly post pictures when they finally light up! Can't wait!!
Melanie, it sure does catch the eye, doesn't it?! I'm so glad I'm not the only one who enjoys it.
You might try watching for the blooms in your pasture this year to change to seed. Then collect the seed (don't wait too long - it gets carried away by wind fairly rapidly) and spread it immediately in the area between your pond and house. It will probably take a couple years to know if it's taken...but sooner or later it should, and you won't risk transplant shock to your original plants.
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