Dodecatheon meadia (Primula meadia) (shooting star)

Eastern shooting star is an ephemeral spring wildlflower. Its dramatic white to pink bloom has an inside-out look, with stamens and pistols facing downward and petals reaching upward––like a star shooting through the sky. It blooms in May and reaches only about 1' high. Plant this in part to full shade in an area with medium moisture. Avoid wet and poorly drained soils. Plants go dormant in summer.

Eastern shooting star is found in central and eastern U.S., but across Maryland, many populatons are now extirpated. The plant grows in open, often rocky forests, woodlands, and barrens. Pollination is mostly by bumblebees, which obtain pollen by rapidly vibrating their thoracic muscles in a process called "buzz pollination."

Photo by Kathy Thornton