*NATIVE PLANT OF THE WEEK*⁠ Dense Blazing Star (Liatris spicata, Zones 4–9)⁠ ⁠ If your garden needs a burst of color right now, dense blazing star is having its moment.⁠ ⁠ Its tall spikes of vivid purple flowers are just beginning to bloom across much of North America, drawing bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and migrating monarchs from surprising distances. It's one of the standout native perennials of late summer—and just as striking in the garden as it is in a vase.⁠ ⁠ Why You'll Love It⁠ • Grass-like foliage gives way to upright purple flower spikes in midsummer through early fall⁠ • Grows 3 to 5 feet tall, adding strong vertical structure⁠ • A magnet for bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators⁠ • Excellent for fresh or dried bouquets⁠ • Rarely troubled by deer, pests, or diseases⁠ ⁠ Native Habitat⁠ Moist meadows and prairies across much of eastern North America, from southern Canada to Florida and west to the Great Plains. It adapts well to gardens far beyond its na...