No. You should be alright. Liatris spicata normally performs just fine directly from the bulb source without any special cooling. It is then hardy and dependable in the garden as far north as zone 4 for sure. A very nice cut flower (and a florists' mainstay because it is relatively easy to force year around) with this twist, it blooms from the top down instead of a more normal bottom up. All the Liatris like good drainage, but spicata is a more eastern species and can handle more moisture than some of its prairie cousins.

Look up Liatris in Wikipedia and marvel at the number of species in this genus, only one of which is L. spicata.

Great thanks I'll leave them potted then!

The spring bulbs sold at stores right now are OK to plant right now. They probably experienced their chilling from the vendors already. or whatever the vendors have done to prepare them for sale. They will get their next winter chilling later in the year after growing in your yard.

Yes, but in this case it probably won't matter. Liatris is one of the few bulbs you can plant in Spring or Fall. A plant that is listed as tolerating Zone 9 probably isn't too picky about chilling requirements, and it was probably chilled somewhere along the line by Home Depot.

The risk you will have is that it will come out of dormancy and won't be able to handle the cold if you put it out too early...or it might become root bound in the pot if you put too many in the same pot. Or will use up their stored energy and start to die if left in the basement too long. If they haven't sprouted you could put them in the ground now. If they sprouted, you could stick them on a window sill and they'll probably survive until it get's warm enough for them in Zone 7

Liatris are fine in zones considerably colder then you...they don't really need a head start. They probably won't bloom any earlier.

You sound like you are new to this. I purchased some liatris from Lowes a couple years ago. Liatris is one of the few native US bulbs and one of the few hardy summer bulbs. It's fairly small the first year, but in a good spot every bulb thrown up several VERY tall purple flowers the second year. Showy, but the foliage looks weedy. Here are some Liatris from Lowes...

Liatris was one of the perennials I sold back when we had our perennial stand in the Minneapolis Farmers Market years back. I potted them up in 6" pots in April and held them until autumn when I bedded them out, to dig, divide and pot them in 6" pots the next April all of which was outside. Some years I bought bulk bulbs and started them early. Quart size is a little small, but the packaging at the Home Depot display is not usually of large sized corms in the first place. If they get hardened off properly they should survive an early planting out just fine. Winter chilling is not necessary, but plenty of light is. Liatris is not very good with even partial shade.

You all know a lot about this so let me ask one follow-up question:

I actually bought 2 bags of corms/"bulbs" from 2 different stores/brands just to change it up a little. (I've no idea about genetic requirements for fruit set etc)

one bag the corms seemed fresher, for example the growing buds/eyes had a little green on them. In the other bag, the corms were extremely dried out, no green at all.

are both bags full of viable corms, or are the dried out ones trash? They were cheap but i don't want to waste time on them if they won't grow.

thanks

The ones with green on them probably got a little warm or wet at some point and started to come out of dormancy. Not necessarily a good sign. On the plus side it means you know they are alive, but it could mean they may have started to come out of dormancy or used some of their energy stores already. They are supposed to be dry, and I don't believe there was any green on any of the liatris I planted. Onions or garlic are a good analogy. Mushy ones is what you look for.

Genetics for fruit set isn't really an issue on this plant because they don't have fruit, we grow them for flowers. They do have seed, which birds like and can cause them to spread. Only reason you would care is if you are trying to plant them for wildlife in a wild area.

Yes I'm trying to create a little pollinator (bees/butterfly/birds) garden and that's where I'm placing these. It is going to look weedy but I guess that's just the way it is. Placing them beside rudbeckias & coneflowers (various species) and in front of viburnums and cup plants.

it will be some distance away from the sitting areas/patio so hopefully all will be well.

I did the same thing...planted them with coneflowers. (Pictured above.) Small pollinating flies liked them. The color matches the common species coneflowers nicely and they bloom at the same time...rudbeckia should contrast nicely. The combination of coneflower shape and liatris shape can look jumbled. I think they look better with the dwarf coneflower. If the spot has enough sun, I'd plant them behind a low spreading plant...they get very tall.

'Mushy ones is what you look for.' Is that really what you meant to write edlincoln? Mushy is the last thing you want. For bulbs and corms, including garlic you need firm and turgid. Not mushy and not desiccated.

Sorry, I meant "mushy is what you look for as a warning sign". Sorry if that wasn't clear.

Aha. All clear now.

Some very good advise: liatrus and echinachea are a real nice combo, either or both colors of liatrus. Goldstrum rudbeckia goes real well with them and platycodon does also. Back them up maybe with hollyhocks? And front em with coral bells? You have all kinds of color choices with all these, but a liatrus/echinachea anchor is a very good place to start for a sunny perennial bed for midsummer and on flowering.