Jim Brandenburg / Thickspike Gayfeather (Liatris pycnostachya) flowering on tallgrass prairie, Crow-Hassan Park Reserve, Minnesota

Floris van Breugel / Aerial view of spring wildflower displays, Phacelia (purple) San Joaquin Blazing Star (orange) and Coreopsis (yellow) Temblor Range, Carrizo Plain National Monument in California, USA, April 2010

Floris van Breugel / Aerial view of spring wildflower displays, Phacelia (purple) San Joaquin Blazing Star (orange) and Coreopsis (yellow) Temblor Range, Carrizo Plain National Monument in California, USA, April 2010

Jim Brandenburg / Thickspike Gayfeather (Liatris pycnostachya) flowers with eagle-shaped cloud, Touch the Sky Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge, Minnesota

Jim Brandenburg / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterfly group resting on Thickspike Gayfeather (Liatris pycnostachya) flowers, North America

Ernie Janes / Dense blazing star (Liatris spicata) flowers, in garden, Norfolk July

Steve Gettle / Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) near Blazing Star (Liatris scariosa) flower, North America

Jim Brandenburg / Blazing Star (Liatris pycnostachya) flowers in prairie, Aldo Leopold Memorial Preserve, Wisconsin

LYNN M. STONE / Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus), showing some wear and tear on wing, feeding on nectar of Rough Blazing-Star (Liatris aspera) growing in tallgrass prairie remnant, Downers Grove, Illinois, USA

LYNN M. STONE / Common Buckeye butterfly (Junonia coenia) feeding on nectar of Rough Blazing-Star (Liatris aspera) Illinois, USA

Thomas Lazar / Prairie blazing star (Liatris pycnostachya) WI, USA.

Thomas Lazar / Prairie blazing star. (Liatris pycnostachya) WI, USA