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Dodecatheon meadia

 
Common name shooting star
Family primulaceae
Life cycle perennial
Flowers pink,white (May)
Size 18"
Light part-full shade
Cultural notes ordinary garden soil
From seed Difficult to grow from seed (see details below)
detailed seed-starting info below

Dodecatheon meadia
shooting star
Wow! I gave up on trying to grow dodecatheons when all of my seedlings seemed to just give up after a few months of coddling, and a mail-ordered plant suffered a similar fate in my shade garden. Still, I had this patch of non-descript foliage in a part of the shade garden where no sunrays ever reach, where I vaguely remembered putting a few weary-looking seedlings. Even though it looked like a weed, I kept hoping - for four years. And finally, this year, BANG! The shooting stars shot! Better yet, there are two plants, one with white flowers, the other pink. The best surprise in our garden so far this year.

Dodecatheon meadia

A week later, the display was even better.

We left this plant behind in our Pennsylvania garden (and wish it well); we don't grow it in Houston.

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Seed-starting details for this plant

  1. Seed from JLH '00 order. Baggy 35F (7w)-70F (low G). None survived growing on and setting out.
  2. Same seed as above. Baggy 35F (9w)-70F (modest G, starting 8d). Seedlings didn't grow well, shrivelled up. Set out anyway.
  3. Seed from '04 garden. Baggy 35F (8w) - 70F (86%G, 3-12d)
  4. Seed from '05 garden. Pot outside on 12 Nov. Germination started mid-April, total 50+%G by early May
  5. 5/3: noted seedlings in pot started 12/31/13
  6. Seed from HPS/MAG '14/'15 exchange. Baggy 35F (9w) - 70F (50%G, 5-8d)

Seems like these go dormant shortly after first germinating, before they reach any decent size. Maybe best to leave in sheltered pot until year 2.


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