Henderson's Shooting Star
Primula hendersonii
Also listed as Dodecatheon atratum, Dodecatheon ellipticum
Also known as Mosquito Bills
Climate Match for your location
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Henderson's shooting star is a delicate alpine perennial with nodding, pink to magenta flowers that resemble miniature cyclamen. It thrives in cool, moist mountain meadows and is prized for rock gardens and alpine troughs.
Why grow it
Henderson's shooting star occupies a niche among alpine primulas for gardeners with cool, high-altitude or montane conditions. Its smaller stature and preference for consistently moist but well-drained soil make it better suited to alpine troughs and rock garden microclimates than some of the larger or drier-tolerant Primula species. Compared to lowland primrose relatives, it requires cooler summers and is less forgiving of heat and drought, so site selection is more critical to success.
Watch out for
This species dislikes prolonged warm or dry conditions and may decline or fail to flower reliably in hot lowland gardens without careful placement and supplemental moisture during growing season. Seedlings and young plants benefit from protection during establishment, and crowns are prone to rot if drainage is poor or watering is inconsistent. It tends to have a narrow window for transplanting; division is best done in early spring or immediately after flowering when the plant is actively growing.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Primulaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Sierra Nevada, California
Native to: California, Oregon, Washington
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
Henderson's shooting star is a delicate alpine perennial with nodding, pink to magenta flowers that resemble miniature cyclamen. It thrives in cool, moist mountain meadows and is prized for rock gardens and alpine troughs.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Henderson's Shooting Star grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Henderson's shooting star occupies a niche among alpine primulas for gardeners with cool, high-altitude or montane conditions. Its smaller stature and preference for consistently moist but well-drained soil make it better suited to alpine troughs and rock garden microclimates than some of the larger or drier-tolerant Primula species. Compared to lowland primrose relatives, it requires cooler summers and is less forgiving of heat and drought, so site selection is more critical to success.
Watch out for
This species dislikes prolonged warm or dry conditions and may decline or fail to flower reliably in hot lowland gardens without careful placement and supplemental moisture during growing season. Seedlings and young plants benefit from protection during establishment, and crowns are prone to rot if drainage is poor or watering is inconsistent. It tends to have a narrow window for transplanting; division is best done in early spring or immediately after flowering when the plant is actively growing.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Primulaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Sierra Nevada, California
Native to: California, Oregon, Washington
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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