Butterfly & Bloom
Published 6:47 pm Thursday, July 19, 2018
Dense Blazing Star (Liatris spicata) is a native perennial wildflower that occurs on well-drained soils. It bears long spikes of purple flowers that are attracting bees and butterflies (American Beauty in photo) right now in the native plant garden at National Wildlife Refuges Visitor Center on Roanoke Island. The flowers mature into fluffy seeds that songbirds pick off throughout the dormant season.