48 Nebraskaland • May 2023
table a year before.
Stubbornness and spite. Drought doesn't phase dotted
gayfeather and grazing just makes it stronger. If that's not
the essence of the Great Plains, I don't know what is.
At the same time, the toughness of dotted gayfeather
isn't immediately obvious when you fi rst encounter its late
summer showy fl owers. Whomever long ago named the plant
after cheerful avian plumage wasn't commenting on the
resilience of the plant in the face of stress. They were focused
on its prolifi c and beautiful blossoms, densely clustered along
a long, slender stalk. The other common name for the plant
is blazing star, which aptly describes the shape and vibrance
of its fl orets. Dotted gayfeather is a conspicuously gorgeous
wildfl ower.
The fl amboyant fl owers of dotted gayfeather are more
than just window dressing. They attract numerous pollinator
insects to feed from the plants' pollen and nectar. Bees, and
particularly bumble bees, are drawn to the blossoms in huge
numbers, along with butterfl ies and other insects. Of course,
those hungry pollinators also benefi t from the fact that
Dotted gayfeather produces numerous pink fl orets.
