Shooting Star (Dodecatheon meadia)
[doe-dee-KATH-ee-on MEE-dee-ah]
Deciduous Perennial Clump-Forming in the Primulaceae Family
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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 beloved eastern and central North American prairie wildflower whose nodding, reflexed pink-and-white blooms give it its name.
Dodecatheon meadia, commonly known as shooting star or American cowslip, is a captivating perennial native to the eastern and central regions of North America. This charming wildflower is prized for its striking, reflexed blooms that appear in early to mid-spring.
Growing from a basal rosette of dark green, oblong leaves, Dodecatheon meadia sends up slender, leafless flower scapes that can reach 12-18 inches in height. Atop these stems, the plant produces clusters of distinctive, cyclamen-like flowers. Each bloom features a pointed, reflexed corolla that resembles a shooting star, with five petals in shades of white, pink, or lavender surrounding a yellow central cone. These nectar-rich flowers attract a variety of pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
After flowering, the plant goes dormant, with the basal foliage dying back. In the fall, new rosettes of leaves emerge, providing winter interest before the stunning springtime blooms reappear.
Dodecatheon meadia thrives in well-drained, humus-rich soils and prefers partial shade to full sun, depending on the climate. It is drought-tolerant once established, making it a resilient choice for naturalized areas, woodland gardens, and rain gardens. The plant's compact habit and delicate, whimsical flowers also lend themselves well to rock gardens and border plantings.
As a native species, Dodecatheon meadia supports a variety of pollinators and contributes to the biodiversity of sustainable, eco-friendly landscapes. Its early spring blooms and unique floral form make it a captivating addition to any garden.
Pros
Distinctive, reflexed shooting-star flowers unlike almost anything else in the spring garden
Key early pollen source for queen bumblebees
Drought-tolerant once established and virtually pest- and disease-free
True Midwest native, well suited to prairie and woodland gardens
Cons
Goes fully dormant and disappears by midsummer; mark its location
Seed is slow and tricky to start, prone to damping off
Transplants can be unreliable if moved while small or during cool, wet spring weather
Why Like
Shooting Star is a true prairie and open-woodland native found in most Illinois counties, where it grows in black-soil prairies, hill prairies, limestone glades, and rocky upland openings. Its flowers produce no nectar, so queen bumblebees and other native bees visit purely to gather pollen, using buzz pollination to shake it loose -- making this an important early-season pollen source. Like many prairie ephemerals, it blooms for about a month in spring and then disappears below ground for the rest of the growing season.
Highlights
Native to prairies, open woods, and meadows across the eastern and central U.S., including Illinois
Flowers offer no nectar -- queen bumblebees and other bees visit purely for pollen, using buzz pollination
A true spring ephemeral: blooms for about a month, then disappears underground by midsummer
Plant Data
Mature Size
12 - 18 inches
tall. 6 - 12 inches
wide.
Growth Rate
Slow
Sun Exposure
Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance
Dry - Medium:
Needs consistently moist soil during spring growth and bloom, but tolerates drier conditions once dormant in summer. Avoid poorly-drained, waterlogged soil, especially in winter.
Zones
4a - 8b
(Usually hardy to -30° F)
Tags
Attracts Butterflies, Deciduous, Dry, Full Sun, Illinois Native, Medium, Native to North America, Non-Allergenic, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Spring Ephemeral
We try very hard to source exactly what you’d like, but sometimes growers run out of plants! While this variety is a great deal at the price shown, we know that it has limited availability. If you want the plant even if it might be more expensive, or in a different size or quantity -- after you place your order, just send us a quick note at help@northshoreplantclub.com. Then, we’ll try to get you some version of this from one of our growers. And if we can’t get it from anywhere, of course, we’ll send a refund!
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.
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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!
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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!
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