Shooting Star (Dodecatheon meadia) is a spring ephemeral plant with white or pink flowers mid- to late spring. They prefer sun to part sun but can tolerate some shade. Soil can be moist to dry, making them best suited for banks and slopes where they can grow to 2 feet tall. Interplant with species that fill in the voids left once dormant. Companion plants include Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) and Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa).
Maintenance
If needed, trim back surrounding dense vegetation in late spring to promote better growth. Nearby plants should be designed to fill in the gaps left behind when the plant goes dormant in the summer.
About
Light Requirements
Sun,
Part Sun,
Shade Moisture Requirements
Banks,
Slopes Soil Requirements
Clay,
Loam,
Organically Rich Soil Height
Short Spacing
1 foot Category
Seasonal Attracts
Bees Illinois Native Plant Status
Illinois Native,
Indiana Native Bloom Time
April,
May Bloom Color
Pink,
White Seasonality
Spring,
Summer Sociability
Groups of 10-20 Other Notable Cultivars & Varieties
Dodecatheon ‘Aphrodite’