Hypoxis hirsuta
yellow star grass
Overview
Hypoxis hirsuta is a small grass-like perennial in the star-grass family, growing from a short underground corm to 4-8 inches (10-20 cm) tall and 6-10 inches (15-25 cm) wide. The narrow, arching leaves are grass-like, hairy, and slightly longer than the flowering stems. Bright yellow, six-pointed star-shaped flowers about 0.5-0.75 inch (13-19 mm) across open a few at a time atop slender hairy stalks, with green-tinged hairy backs to the petals. Flowering runs from spring into early summer, and each flower opens only in sun. Small capsules split to release tiny black seeds. The plant grows in open woods, meadows, prairies, and grassy slopes across eastern and central North America, often overlooked among grasses until it blooms. It spreads slowly by seed and offsets, forming small patches rather than spreading aggressively. The grass-like foliage disappears by late summer, leaving no trace above ground. It needs open, sunny to lightly shaded sites and is easily crowded out by taller, more vigorous plants.
Native Range
Native to eastern and central North America, from Manitoba and Ontario south to Texas and Florida. It grows in open woods, meadows, prairies, savannas, and grassy slopes.Suggested Uses
Grown in native plant gardens, rock gardens, prairie plantings, and the front of lightly shaded borders. The flowers supply pollen for small native bees in spring.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height4" - 8"
Width/Spread6" - 10"
Bloom Information
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-10 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
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grows in full sun to part shade in moist to average, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. It needs an open site with little competition, as taller plants quickly crowd it out. The corm is long-lived but slow to multiply, and plants resent being moved once settled. It needs no fertilizer in decent soil and little water except in drought. The foliage goes dormant by late summer, so its position is easily lost in a mixed bed. It self-sows modestly where the ground is open.Pruning
No pruning is needed. Spent flower stalks can be left to set seed for spread or removed for tidiness. The dormant foliage needs no cutting back.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 1 gallons