Wikimedia Commons
Primulaceae
Alpine Shooting Star
Dodecatheon alpinum
Celestial wonder.
- Family
- Primulaceae
- Genus
- Dodecatheon
- Native to
- Western North America, California, Oregon
- Bloom season
- Spring, Summer
- Type
- perennial
- Height
- 0.3-1 ft
- Sunlight
- part shade
- Soil
- Moist, well-drained, acidic soil
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- 4-8
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- The swept-back petals resemble a shooting star streaking across the sky, inspiring its common name.
- The genus name Dodecatheon means 'twelve gods' in Greek, as the plant was thought to be under divine protection.
- Alpine Shooting Stars go completely dormant in summer, disappearing underground after blooming.
- They are pollinated by bumblebees that hang upside down and vibrate the flowers to release pollen.
- Native Americans used the roots and leaves of shooting stars as a food source in early spring.
Color meanings
0
fleeting beauty
1
cosmic connection