<em>Dodecatheon</em>, Virginia shooting star: to plant, to grow

Description and botany

Dodecatheon, also called gyroselle or shooting star, is a perennial herbaceous plant of family Primulaceae, a cousin of primroses and cyclamens, native to cool North American woodland, wet meadows and sometimes alpine habitats.

Genus comprises 14 species, among which Dodecatheon meadia or Virginia gyroselle is most widespread. It has produced a few interesting cultivars such as ‘Queen Victoria’. Only four species are sold in our country and Dodecatheon jeffreyi, Dodecatheon hendersonii and Dodecatheon pulchellum are rarely offered for sale.

Slow-growing, gyroselle forms in spring a tuft of upright leaves gathered in a basal rosette. It measures 10 to 45 cm in height. Leaves are oval to lanceolate, spatulate or obovate, 2 to 25 cm long, sometimes irregularly dentate. Glabrous or slightly velvety and fleshy, leaves resemble those of primroses. In shades from pale to dark green, they sometimes flush red towards petiole depending on variety. Deciduous foliage regenerates in spring.

Dodecatheon meadia – botanical illustration

Graceful and exquisitely delicate, gyroselle’s flowering is exceptionally beautiful. From March to June depending on climate, numerous slender but sturdy flowering stems rise well above foliage, sometimes exceeding 40 cm. At tip of these naked greenish-pink stems that are slightly arched, hang gracefully umbels of about fifteen flowers revealing a calyx of 5 sepals wholly turned back. Their peculiar shape, with narrow lanceolate petals turned backwards and carried on long peduncles, unmistakably evokes miniature cyclamens.

As if suspended in air and turned skywards, they open in masses of small inverted bell-shaped flowers 1 to 3 cm long in colours from pale pink, cyclamen pink to raspberry or cherry red, more rarely cream-white; flowers are slightly white at base. Central part of flowers, very conspicuous, reveals a pointed cluster of 5 stamens fused together and protruding, dark purplish-brown or deep violet, ringed with golden-yellow, orange or white.

In a heavenly ode, this fairy-like flowering would pay homage to twelve gods of Olympus; in Greek “dodeca” meaning “twelve” and “theos” meaning “gods”.

Like many good spring ephemerals, gyroselle has a very short vegetative cycle; after flowering it enters dormancy, losing foliage during summer and disappearing completely.

Very hardy down to -15°C to -25°C, Dodecatheon prefers cool, mountainous climates. This small perennial of damp woodland requires dappled or partial shade and a humus-bearing, acidic soil that remains very cool to moist during growth and is well drained.

Main species and varieties

The Dodecatheon meadia or Virginia shooting-star is the most widespread species; it declinates into numerous varieties displaying every shade of pink, from pale to carmine, including white.

Our favourites

Dodecatheon meadia Queen Victoria

Pretty carmine-pink flowers to brighten cool, shady spots. To plant in cool rockeries, woodland understorey, borders or beds.

• Flowering time May, June
• Height at maturity 35 cm

See the product sheet

Dodecatheon meadia

This is the type species! It is characterised by small cyclamen-pink flowers, wonderfully graceful, to plant in the shelter of a woodland understorey.

• Flowering time May, June
• Height at maturity 30 cm

See the product sheet

Planting

Where to plant gyroselle or Dodecatheon?

From its montane origins, Gyroselle has retained good hardiness, able to withstand temperatures down to -15 °C, sometimes as low as -25 °C. It is very comfortable under rather cool climates and in a mountain garden.

Although tolerant of cold, this small shade-loving moist plant does have some cultural requirements, making it delicate to grow in Mediterranean climate, which is rather too dry. Avoid strong sun exposure and dried-out soils.

This woodland perennial favours partial shade or shaded but bright areas in non-calcareous soil, slightly acidic, rich in humus, remaining consistently cool, even moist during growth, and well drained. It will, however, appreciate slightly drier soil during summer dormancy.

Choose location carefully because once well established this plant tolerates transplanting poorly.

Plant on edge of a border or in a cool shady rockery, at woodland edge or under tree foliage where trees will protect it from scorching sun and where it will form pretty, ephemeral but very floriferous clumps in spring.

Preferring damp conditions, it will also do well on edges of a pond.

When to plant gyroselle or Dodecatheon?

Planting Dodecatheon is done in early spring in March–April after frosts or from September to November.

How to plant gyroselle or Dodecatheon?

Soil must be well drained and rich in organic matter to grow Gyroselle. Space plants 30 to 40 cm apart to allow clumps to develop freely and allow 5 to 7 buckets per m². As its leaf disappears early in summer, to cover bare soil and take over after flowering, consider planting between two gyroselle plants a few small summer bulbs or other perennials that enjoy cool to moist soils and shaded positions.

• Clean soil thoroughly by removing stones, roots and weeds
• Work soil well, adding a mixture of turf and leaf mould
• Dig a hole 2 to 3 times pot volume
• Spread a draining layer of gravel or coarse sand
• Plant and cover rootball with fertile soil mixture
• Water thoroughly to favour rooting
• Mulch in spring to keep soil cool using pine bark

Dodecatheon redolens

Care and maintenance

Once well established, Dodecatheon requires almost no maintenance and proves to be a trouble-free perennial, capable of living for many years without any care, provided soil remains consistently moist, especially during flowering.

It tolerates dry soils poorly: if necessary water regularly once or twice a week during growth so that soil remains fresh.

After flowering, leaves flop onto soil, then deciduous foliage disappears in summer, leaving plant in dormancy below ground, making it hard to spot — which is handy as it requires no watering during this period! That said, we recommend marking its location to avoid damaging it during weeding and to make slug and snail control easier as growth resumes.

Remove faded flower stems if desired, fairly unsightly after flowering, and cover the stump with a tapetum of dry leaves.

Unaffected by diseases, it has only rare enemies: slugs and snails that devour young leaves in spring. Follow our tips to keep them away naturally!

Propagation

If sowing is possible, we recommend dividing rosettes in spring on stumps at least three years old, to rejuvenate the plant and preserve attractive flowering.

Dividing clumps of Gyroselle

• Using a spade, gently lift the clump to take a division bearing a rosette of leaves
• Replant immediately in the garden in well-prepared, deeply worked soil

Companion planting Dodecatheon in the garden

The Dodecatheon is shade-loving perennial plant essential for bringing colour and freshness at the heart of spring, in a wooded garden, used as groundcover in cool understorey, beneath trees or deciduous bushes or as pit in a damp shady rockery.

Graceful, with pink flowers, more rarely white, it blooms in all natural and naturalistic gardens, creating fresh scenes, in understated or lively combinations. In a pink or romantic garden pair it with hardy fuchsias, Dicentra spectabilis (bleeding heart).

Idea for a shady planting: Dodecatheon meadia, Meconopsis betonicifolia, Lamium orvala, Geranium nodosum ‘Silverwood’, Hosta tardiana ‘Halcyon’ and you can complete with a few clumps of Polypodium vulgare

It will be wonderful when combined with cyclamens, white narcissi, snowdrops, erythronium and other spring bulbs such as early tulips, squills and muscari, which will also make good companions.

Small shade-loving perennials such as primroses or violas will create delicate arrangements with it.

In a shaded rockery, near a water feature, accompany it with Epimedium, pulmonarias, small ferns, astilbes, hostas and rodgersias.

To cover a slope, it pairs perfectly with Corydalis, creeping bugles or small groundcovers, such as Chrysosplenium oppositifolium, which will fill the gap left by the gyroselle during summer dormancy.

And take inspiration from our ideas to plant under your trees!