Liatris spicata

Liatris spicata is a perennial herb in a variety of open habitats occurring in eastern North America from southern Ontario, Canada and New Jersey west to Wisconsin, United States south to Florida and Louisiana. It has been introduced in New York, New England, and Quebec, and nativity west of the Mississippi River has conflicting information. There are estimated to be over 1,100 occurrences, though this species is commonly cultivated. This species is threatened by development, conversion to agriculture or pasture, conversion to silviculture, logging, rights-of-way maintenance, recreational activities (especially off-road vehicles), habitat succession and fire suppression, deer herbivory, and invasive species. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, abundant habitat, broad habitat preferences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, this species is considered secure.

Liatris spicata occurs in eastern North America from southern Ontario, Canada and New Jersey west to Wisconsin, United States south to Florida and Louisiana (FNA 2006). It has been introduced in New York, New England, and Quebec (FNA 2006, Weakley and the Southeastern United States 2025). Aside from a historical occurrence in Missouri, range west of the Mississippi River was considered nonnative by FNA (2006), though Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team (2025) include Louisiana. Native range extent was estimated to be over 2.7 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025 (RARECAT 2024, GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025). See individual entries for distribution details about the two varieties.

By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are over 1,100 occurrences rangewide (RARECAT 2024, GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025). However, this taxon is commonly cultivated, and iNatualist observations (>6,000, mostly identified at the species-level) were not evaluated for evidence of cultivation (iNaturalist 2025).

Although threats are not widely documented, this species is threatened by development, conversion to agriculture or pasture, conversion to silviculture, logging, rights-of-way maintenance, recreational activities (especially off-road vehicles), habitat succession and fire suppression, deer herbivory, invasive species, and other threats in some places, though there is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand scope and severity of threats for this species (NatureServe 2025). However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, tolerance of light disturbance, and affinity for typically abundant habitats, as well as no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.