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cutting down liatris sprikes

Posted by judyhi 6nj (My Page) on
Sat, Jul 30, 11 at 14:54

I just purchased white liatris and want to know if I can safely cut the stalks with the spent flowers, or should I leave them

Question 2.

Do deadheading and cutting the stalks on plants such as liatris and penstemons mean the same thing?

Thanks in advance


Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: cutting down liatris sprikes

Cutting the stems/spikes won't hurt the plant but the birds will eat the seeds of the spent flowers when they dry. I leave mine for the birds.

Deadheading is removing spent flowers from the stems, generally one seedhead at a time, but leaving the stems on the plants.

I got rid of all my liatris a few years ago because I really didn't like the looks of them. Now I'm growing more, both purple and white, because I learned the bees & butterflies love them + the birds eat the seeds.


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RE: cutting down liatris sprikes

I cut just below the spent bloom as the leaves are feeding the bulb for next years flower.I usually deadhead most of them so I don't get so many seedlings. If you want seedlings, let them go to seed.


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RE: cutting down liatris sprikes

I hope I get seedlings here! I love these plants.


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