Dodecatheon pulchellum

pretty shooting star

Primulaceae

Western North America from Alaska to northern Mexico

Attracts Pollinators

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 3–8

Overview

A clump-forming herbaceous perennial reaching 6-18 inches (15-45 cm) tall during flowering and 4-8 inches (10-20 cm) wide, growing from a cluster of small white ricegrain bulblets attached to a fibrous rootstock. Leaves form a basal rosette of narrowly oblanceolate to spatulate blades 1-6 inches (2.5-15 cm) long, slightly fleshy, light to mid-green, narrowing gradually to a winged petiole. Flowering scapes carry 1-25 nodding flowers in an open umbel; petals 0.4-0.75 inch (10-18 mm) long, strongly reflexed, magenta-pink to lavender or rarely white, with a yellow band edged in maroon and a column of dark stamens at the center. Flowers appear April through July across the species' wide elevational range; high alpine populations bloom into August. Plants enter summer dormancy 6-10 weeks after flowering as foliage withers and stems collapse. Seedlings reach flowering size in 3-5 years from cold-stratified seed. Stands persist 5-10 years on suitable sites; cultivation under summer irrigation typically reduces stand life to 2-3 years through crown rot.

Native Range

Native to most of western North America from Alaska and Yukon south through British Columbia, the Pacific states, the Rocky Mountain region, and Great Plains margins to northern Mexico. Found in wet meadows, streamside seeps, alpine fellfields, and moist grasslands from sea level to 12,000 feet (3,650 m).

Suggested Uses

Planted in moist meadow plantings, streamside borders, and alpine rock gardens within zones 3-8, at 4-8 inch (10-20 cm) spacing. Pairs with sedges, Camassia spp., and other early-season geophytes in the same moisture regime. Container culture is rarely successful beyond 2-3 years because crown rot follows summer irrigation in standard pot media.

How to Identify

Identified by narrow oblanceolate to spatulate basal leaves 1-6 inches (2.5-15 cm) long that taper gradually into a winged petiole, separating it from the broad-bladed leaves of D. hendersonii. Petals magenta-pink to lavender (rarely white), strongly reflexed; the column of fused stamens 0.15-0.2 inch (4-5 mm) long, dark purple to maroon. Plants of moist habitats, in contrast with dry-grown D. hendersonii. Up to 25 flowers per scape in robust populations.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height6" - 1'6"

Width/Spread4" - 8"

Reaches mature size in approximately 5 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~6 weeks

Spring Summer

April through July at low and mid elevations, with peak flowering in May and June; alpine populations may bloom into August. Each flower lasts 5-7 days; total bloom per stand 4-6 weeks. Snowmelt timing controls bloom onset in mountain populations.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

Magenta-pink to lavender

Foliage Description

Light to mid-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam silt peat

Drainagemoist

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

3-5 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Seeds require 8-12 weeks of moist cold stratification at 32-40°F (0-4°C) before germination. Established plants benefit from consistent soil moisture during the spring growth period; on natural sites the rootstock relies on snowmelt or seasonal seeps that taper through summer. Crown rot develops on summer-irrigated heavy soils and is the primary cause of stand decline in cultivation. Slugs damage emerging leaves in March and April in coastal climates. Stands are commonly thinned by mid-summer drought; populations on consistently moist sites may persist as much as a decade with no division required.

Pruning

Withering foliage is left in place during summer dormancy and pulls free from the rootstock by August. Spent scapes can be trimmed at the base after seed dispersal if self-seeding is not desired. Mid-season cutting is not done, as the basal rosette and single scape carry all photosynthetic activity for the season.

Pruning Schedule

summer