Lithophragma parviflorum
smallflower woodland star
Overview
Lithophragma parviflorum is a slender herbaceous perennial growing 6-24 inches (15-60 cm) tall from a small underground cluster of rice-grain bulblets. Most of the leaves form a low basal rosette; each rounded leaf 0.5-1.5 inches (1-4 cm) wide is divided into three to five wedge-shaped lobes, themselves cut into narrow teeth. One or two reduced leaves clasp the upright, often reddish flowering stem. The stem carries a loose cluster of five to eleven flowers, each about 0.5 inch (1.2 cm) across, with five white to pink petals that are deeply cut into three narrow lobes, giving a fringed, star-like outline. Flowering runs from March to June, beginning at low elevations and continuing later in the mountains. After seed set the plant withers to the ground and persists underground through the dry summer. It grows in open woodland, sagebrush slopes, grassland, and rocky banks across western North America. A limitation in the garden is its summer dormancy, when the foliage disappears and leaves a gap until the following spring.
Native Range
Lithophragma parviflorum is native to western North America, from British Columbia south to California and east to the northern Rocky Mountains. It grows from low valleys into montane slopes, often on seasonally moist ground that dries by summer.Suggested Uses
Grown in rock gardens, native plant gardens, and meadow plantings for spring flowers, spaced 6-9 inches (15-23 cm) apart. Suited to slopes and woodland edges that dry out in summer. The early flowers draw small native bees and other insects.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height6" - 2'
Width/Spread4" - 8"
Reaches mature size in approximately 2 years
Bloom Information
Flowers open from March to June, earliest in warm lowland sites and later at higher elevations. The loose flower clusters carry five to eleven blooms that open in sequence over several weeks. Plants set seed by early summer and then die back.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
white to pinkFoliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
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
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Lithophragma parviflorum grows in full sun to part shade and well-drained soils that are moist in spring and dry in summer. It establishes from seed sown in autumn or from the small bulblets, which detach and form new plants. The species needs no summer irrigation and tolerates the seasonal drought of its native range. Excess summer water during dormancy can rot the underground bulblets. Foliage dies back after flowering, so the plant is often combined with later-growing perennials that fill the space.Pruning
No pruning is needed. The foliage dies back naturally after seed set and can be left in place. Removing spent flower stems before seed ripens limits self-sowing.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 1 gallons