Wikimedia Commons
Primulaceae
American Cowslip
Dodecatheon meadia
Grace and youth.
- Family
- Primulaceae
- Genus
- Dodecatheon
- Native to
- Eastern North America, Central North America
- Bloom season
- Spring
- Type
- perennial
- Height
- 0.5-1.5 ft
- Sunlight
- part shade to full shade
- Soil
- Moist, well-drained, humus-rich soil
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- 4-8
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- American Cowslip was named by Carl Linnaeus in honor of Richard Mead, an 18th-century English physician.
- The reflexed petals create a dart-like shape, earning it the alternate name 'Eastern Shooting Star.'
- Bumblebees must buzz-pollinate this flower by vibrating at a specific frequency to release pollen.
- The entire plant disappears underground by midsummer, entering complete dormancy until the following spring.
- Thomas Jefferson grew American Cowslip in his garden at Monticello and sent specimens to European botanists.
Color meanings
0
youthful beauty
1
divine favor