Dodecatheon meadia (shooting star) is another one of my favorite perennials, a member of the primrose family. It is relatively unknown as a garden plant but gaining popularity, and some people recognize it as a wildflower. D. pulchellum (saline or few-flowered shooting star) is a native of my area. I own one but it is too young to bloom right now. This one pictured here has grown in to an impressive clump. I planted it three seasons ago (spring 2004) as a double-nosed plant with one stem; today it has six shoots and four stems (time to divide). These are vigorous plants that are fairly easy to grow. I find that they dry out too rapidly in the sun and wilt (tags usually say full sun) so I grow them in partial shade. They will take infinite amounts of water in a well-drained soil and perform best when fertilized with other perennials. They lose vigour after 3 or 4 years and will need division. It is called shooting star because of its nodding, star-shaped flowers, which are borne in clusters on stalks 12-16" tall. They make excellent companions for lady's slippers and look best with yellow ones.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Dodecatheon meadia
Dodecatheon meadia (shooting star) is another one of my favorite perennials, a member of the primrose family. It is relatively unknown as a garden plant but gaining popularity, and some people recognize it as a wildflower. D. pulchellum (saline or few-flowered shooting star) is a native of my area. I own one but it is too young to bloom right now. This one pictured here has grown in to an impressive clump. I planted it three seasons ago (spring 2004) as a double-nosed plant with one stem; today it has six shoots and four stems (time to divide). These are vigorous plants that are fairly easy to grow. I find that they dry out too rapidly in the sun and wilt (tags usually say full sun) so I grow them in partial shade. They will take infinite amounts of water in a well-drained soil and perform best when fertilized with other perennials. They lose vigour after 3 or 4 years and will need division. It is called shooting star because of its nodding, star-shaped flowers, which are borne in clusters on stalks 12-16" tall. They make excellent companions for lady's slippers and look best with yellow ones.
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