One of those rare plants that does everything right — dramatic, long-blooming, easy to grow, beloved by pollinators and structurally striking in every season. Marsh or Dense Blazing Star produces tall, stiff, poker-like spikes densely packed with small feathery rose-purple flowers from midsummer into fall. Unusually, the flowers open from the top of the spike downward — the opposite of most flowering spikes — keeping the plant looking fresh for four weeks or more as new blooms continue opening down the stem. After bloom, the dried seed heads remain standing through winter, providing food for birds and striking structural interest. Grows from a corm-like base and tolerates a remarkably wide range of soils. A must-have for borders, butterfly gardens and pollinator plantings.An absolute magnet for monarch butterflies, swallowtails, and bumblebees in midsummer. The vertical form adds wonderful contrast to meadow and border plantings. Thrives in moist soils but tolerates average garden conditions.