We are definitely nearing the end of the wildflower season as we move through November; even here in central Florida. There are still a few beauties out there hanging on, though. Earlier this week I posted about beautiful purple false foxglove, so in the spirit of purple, I thought I’d post some dense blazing stars (Liatris spicata) to finish off the week. These are a fairly common ornamental flower that happens to be native to most of the eastern United States, including Florida. They are cultivated throughout most of the world, though, since they’re used in gardens and along pathways. They’re closely related to the far less common shaggy blazing star (Liatris elegantula), which only grows in the sandhills in four southern states. Blazing stars definitely are a great description for these pretty flowers and they are absolutely one to look forward to in the late summer and fall.