Shooting star
Dodecatheon meadia
Last reviewed: August 2026
Shooting star sends up nodding pink and white blooms from March through May, growing well in part shade with medium moisture in woodlands, meadows, and prairies before going dormant in summer heat.
Toxicity unknown
Shooting star (Dodecatheon meadia) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
part shade
Water
medium
Size
8"–18" H × 8"–12" W
Bloom
Mar, Apr, May
Native to
AL, AR, FL, GA and 24 more states
Pollinators
bees
Before you buy
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Woodland perennial with a basal rosette of smooth leaves and a slender leafless stalk bearing nodding, swept-back pink flowers with prominent yellow centers. Goes fully dormant by midsummer.
Growing Shooting star
Grow Shooting star in part shade and medium water. Mature plants reach 8 to 18 inches tall and spread 8 to 12 inches wide. Expect low maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.
In an HOA neighborhood
Shooting star is an HOA-friendly choice. Maintenance level: low. Tidiness: 3 out of 5.
Works well in: front yard, mid zone.
- foliage dies back completely by summer, leaving a bare gap in the bed
Wildlife value
Distinctive nodding flowers are buzz-pollinated by native bees in early spring.
Common questions
- When does shooting star bloom?
- Shooting star typically flowers in spring, from March through May, with clusters of nodding pink to white blossoms on leafless stalks.
- What pollinates shooting star flowers?
- Bees are the main pollinators, using a buzzing motion to release pollen from the flower's downward facing anthers.
- What growing conditions does shooting star need?
- It does best in part shade with medium, well drained soil, and it also tolerates full sun in early spring before nearby trees leaf out.
- Does shooting star stay visible all year?
- No. After it finishes blooming in late spring, the foliage yellows and the plant goes dormant underground for the rest of the summer.
- Is Shooting star HOA-friendly?
- Shooting star is generally an HOA-friendly choice in the right placement, with low maintenance.
These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.
Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
Ready to grow Shooting star? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.
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