Liatris variety?

Entire flower stalk will brown and seeds easily removed before they fall out.

Image on The Seed Site shows ripe seeds still on flower stalk. Although the variety may not be the same as what you show I think seed situation is similar.

Straight species should come true from seed if it hasn't been growing near other varieties of Liatris.

If what you have is a hybrid it won't come genetically true from seed but from what I've read the resulting "kids" look basically the same.

This is Liatris image gallery from USDA database:

http://plants.usda.gov/java/imageGallery?growthhabit=all&familycategory=all&artist=all&location=all&cite=all&duration=all&stateSelect=all&category=sciname&imagetype=all&origin=all&txtparm=Liatris&wetland=all&copyright=all&viewsort=50&sort=sciname&submit.x=21&submit.y=13

Great photo catching bee getting some nectar. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: The Seed Site - Liatris

Liatris is a perennial.

its a bee

jeez... ken

ps: some liatris can be invasive .. and you better make sure its not loosestrife .... i dont think it is.. but you havent given us much of the plant ....

pps: why cant you divide the one you took the pic of???? since it is a perennial ...

Here is a link that might be useful: loosestrife

Definitely liatris spicata. NOT lythrum

OK... The plant was VERY tall and the flower head was very large, nothing like i'd seen before... I'll see what happens with the seed... Thank you all...i may have another picture, my wife took them.

Was thinking annual.. i don't know a ton about flowers, as you can tell!

ken_adrian, you always make me choke with laughter.

Thanks!

I recognized the Liatris in the photo because in 3 years I've only had mine bloom ONCE due to deer eating the flower stalks each Spring...LOL. I've got 2 little flower stalks with seed falling off right now but it's a bit pointless to grow the deer more food.

I see very tall ones bordering a little farm near my father's house. I never knew they got that tall but there are so many varieties. Think the 2 Liatris I've got are a spicata hybrid because they've got more clumping grasslike foliage and flower stalks aren't nearly as tall as "wild" ones I've seen by that farm.

franktank, after 3 years at this gardening stuff there's still a ton I don't know about flowers either.

Yep, looks like liatris to me....a perennial that blooms early summer here.......but mine doesnt bloom all summer.
They increase in clumps like many perennials and after 3 years you can divide them.