Santa Fe Botanical Garden

Common name: dotted blazing star, dotted gayfeather

Family: Asteraceae (Aster)

Distribution: Central North America

Habitat: Prairies, sagebrush scrub, pinyon/juniper woodlands

Hardiness: USDA Zone 3 (-40 to -30 °F)

Life form: Herbaceous perennial

Occurrence in New Mexico: New Mexico native plant

Growing Conditions: The native range of this gayfeather extends from Saskatchewan west through Alberta and Manitoba, south through the central part of the United States to northern Mexico. It has also escaped cultivation and naturalized eastward. Two varieties exist in New Mexico; var. punctata is widespread on prairies, plains and mountain slopes throughout the state, and var. mexicana grows in the Guadalupe Mountains of Eddy County. It generally grows on prairies and hills in dry, open places. Although it is known best in grassland communities, it also grows among sagebrush, and in ponderosa pine and piñon-juniper woodlands. Good drainage is essential and it often grows in sandy, alkaline calcareous soil. It prefers a medium amount of water and full sun, but is somewhat drought tolerant. It reproduces from seeds and vegetatively. It grows from a thick taproot that may reach 15 feet deep in rich prairie soil. It also produces horizontal rhizomes that produce scattered aerial stems. It generally regrows after fire. It can be cut or mowed to encourage a bushy plant. Gay feather is useful in container gardens and cutting gardens as well as in naturalized grasslands.