Dodecatheon (Shooting Star)
Dodecatheon (Shooting Stars) are a delightful group of summer-dormant herbaceous perennials boasting umbels of nodding, white, light pink, or rosy pink flowers, 1 in. long (2 cm), resembling cyclamen blooms. Blooming in spring, the charming blossoms are borne on naked flower scapes that rise from a basal rosette of simple green leaves. Shooting Stars require cool, moist, humus-rich soils in sun or part shade. They are one of the most beautiful spring wildflowers in the prairie. A colony of these plants in bloom is a sight to behold.