Sierra Shooting Star (Dodecatheon jeffreyi)
doe-dee-KATH-ee-on jeffreyi

Deciduous Perennial Clump-Forming in the Primulaceae Family
Note: Spring ephemerals have evolved take advantage of sunlight which penetrates deciduous forests before the trees fully leaf out and then shut down for the year by the end of spring to rest until the next year. When buying them in summer you typically won't see anything above the ground until the next April!
A western mountain wildflower with nodding, cyclamen-like pink-purple blooms held above a basal rosette of leaves in late spring.

Sierra Shooting Star is a western North American wildflower native to moist mountain meadows, streambanks, and open coniferous woodlands from California's Sierra Nevada north to Alaska and east to Montana and Wyoming. In late spring, leafless flower stalks rise above a basal rosette of rounded leaves, each topped with an umbel of several nodding, rose-purple flowers with swept-back petals and a dark central cone of stamens -- a shape that gives the whole genus its "shooting star" name. By midsummer the entire plant goes fully dormant and disappears until the following spring.

Pros

  • Striking, cyclamen-like nodding flowers unlike most other spring perennials
  • Thrives in consistently moist to wet soil where many perennials struggle
  • Special value to native bumble bees
  • Tolerates full sun to partial shade

Cons

  • Goes fully dormant and disappears by midsummer; mark its location to avoid disturbing the dormant crown
  • Needs consistently moist soil and won't tolerate drying out
  • Slow to establish and doesn't tolerate foot traffic
Why Like

Sierra Shooting Star grows wild in wet mountain meadows, stream and lake margins, and open coniferous forest across the western mountains, from the Sierra Nevada north into Alaska and east to Montana and Wyoming. The Xerces Society recognizes it as having special value to native bumble bees, which visit its nodding flowers for pollen. Its ephemeral habit -- flowering in a burst each spring, then vanishing underground by midsummer -- is typical of plants adapted to short mountain growing seasons.
Highlights
  • Native to mountain meadows and streambanks from California to Alaska
  • Nodding, umbrella-like pink-purple flowers with a dark central cone, resembling cyclamen
  • Special value to bumble bees (Xerces Society)
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 12 - 24 inches tall. 10 - 24 inches wide.
Growth Rate Slow
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium - Wet:

Needs consistently moist to wet soil; tolerates standing water along streambanks and pond edges, but won't tolerate drying out.
Zones 4a - 9a (Usually hardy to -30° F)
Tags Deciduous, Full Sun, Medium, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Spring Ephemeral, Wet
Bloom Period Late Spring to Early Summer
Flower Color Pink to Rose-Purple
Foliage Color Green

Commonly Planted with...

Pairs well with later-emerging moisture-loving perennials and ferns that can fill in once it goes dormant, such as ferns, sedges, and other streamside or bog-garden companions.
Want More photos of this plant? Try Google Image Search!
 


Pricing and Availability History

Click a label to toggle visibility for that size


© North Shore Plant Club 2026. Privacy Policy, Terms & Conditions.

Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


Estimated Recipe Cost

The cost of this recipe's ingredients will vary depending on the season and the sizes and varieties you select.


Benefits of Membership

Want a better way to get great plants and make your yard look awesome? Create your account below and get:

  • The best plants… from the same sources the pros use, but at near wholesale prices
  • More plants in more sizes than anywhere else… whether you’re looking for classics or rarities; annuals, perennials or shrubs; one plant or a whole yardful!
  • "No Contact" delivery or easy pick-up at a site near you without fighting the retail crowds. You choose!

Membership is free, but — since we rely on delivery and local pick-up — you have to live near one of our hubs (or be willing to drive to a site to pick them up). If you live farther away, and would like to help us bring the club to your neighbors, please email helpusgrow@northshoreplantclub.com.

Already a member?
Login
About Ordering From The Plant Club

To secure the best prices for club members and make sure we know the current plants available from each nursery, we take orders only a couple of times a month.

Shoot us an email at help@northshoreplantclub.com, and we'll be happy to talk about plants or let you know when it's time to buy them!


No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!