If you're looking for a unique flower to add to your garden, look no further than Blazing Star, a purple perennial that is as interesting as its name. The tall, stiff spikes of this flower suggest it may be simply a stick in your garden, but in fact, the exact opposite is true. However, you will have to be patient for this flowering beauty.

Blazing Star flowers are typically planted from seeds, not mature plants, and can take anywhere from two to three years to grow to their full potential and offer blooms. Don't be discouraged, some of your plants may grow faster and will act like traditional perennials, expanding in cover during the first year and achieving maturity and producing blooms in the second year.

The plant will grow stems up to three feet high and the flower you'll find at the tip will be a tall spike covered in tiny purple flowers that each bloom in turn from tip to base, giving the flower the feel of slowly exploding star in the sky above the rest of your garden.

Although the plant will expand its ground cover over the first year after you plant the seeds, it is not invasive and will not kill off other plants as it expands and grows. You can count on this flower, in particular, to work in junction with the other plants that are already in your garden, to provide you with years of beautiful scenery to enjoy and be proud of.

In addition, for those plant enthusiasts who consider plants for their additional properties, you should know that these plants do not have any special medicinal properties and they should not be consumed—if you are choosing plants solely for medicinal properties or looking for plants that can be used with cooking, Blazing Star is not the correct flower choice for your garden. You should enjoy this particular flower as scenery only and you should discourage pets and children from attempting to sample the flowers from this plant—although it is not reported to be poisonous, the experience may not be one to remember.

If you intend to occasionally or regularly select flowers from your garden for fresh bouquets or other fresh arrangements, your should allow the flower to completely bloom from tip to base and keep in mind that these particular flowers have a vase life of approximately 6 to 10 days. As a dried flower, however, Blazing Star is one of the most complimentary and sustainable dried flowers…keeping both color and shape throughout the drying process and for many years after, if you take proper care of the dried arrangement.

Overall, Blazing Star plants, along with their flowers are an amazing addition to your garden, as they tower over the other plants like stars in the sky but do not overwhelm your garden with large blossoms. They are beautiful, subtle additions to your garden's repertoire that you can enjoy for many years to come.