Gayfeather

Liatris punctata

Hills guide picknative · Hill Countrysold locally

Gayfeather is a perennial native to the Texas Hill Country that grows 1–3 ft tall and 1–1.5 ft wide. It wants full sun and very low water. Blooms purple in mid summer. Good for birds.

Will it grow in your yard?

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From our guide

Village of the Hills

Narrow grassy foliage most of the year, then dense purple flower spikes in September and October.

Why it works here

Critical late-season nectar for monarchs during fall migration through Central Texas — timing that few other plants match.

Watch out

Needs sharp drainage, especially in winter. Rots in heavy wet clay.

The facts

8 sources

Type: Perennial
Sun: Full sun (6+ hrs)
Water: Very low
Height: 1–3 ft
Spread: 1–1.5 ft
Bloom: Mid Summer · purple
Foliage: Deciduous
Soil: Recorded on calcareous, dry, limestone, sand, well drained
Deer: Moderate — deer may browse it, especially new growth. Occasionally browsed in drought
Wildlife: Supports birds

Size, sun, water and foliage from the Village of the Hills guide; the rest resolved across sources.

Where it grows

Recorded in these EPA Level IV ecoregions in the Austin and Hill Country launch area:

Balcones CanyonlandsLlano UpliftEdwards Plateau WoodlandNorthern Blackland PrairieSouthern Post Oak SavannaFloodplains and Low TerracesLimestone Cut PlainSan Antonio Prairie

667 occurrence records in Central Texas (GBIF).

Can you buy it?

Sold at local nurseries. Confirmed in stock at a Central Texas grower in these sizes:

2.5–4.5 inch pots

From the growers we read so far — a short list, not the whole trade. Call ahead.

also grows from seed It starts readily from seed, so a packet from a native-seed supplier, or seed collected with permission, is often the easiest way to get a plant no nursery pots.