White shooting star
Dodecatheon dentatum
Last reviewed: September 2026
White shooting star (Dodecatheon dentatum) is a perennial forb native to ID, OR, WA. It blooms in April, May, and June. The flowers draw bumble bees.
Toxicity unknown
White shooting star (Dodecatheon dentatum) 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
6"–12" H × 6"–10" W
Bloom
Apr, May, Jun
Native to
ID, OR, WA
Pollinators
bumble bees
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A small streamside perennial with a basal rosette of soft leaves and clusters of white flowers whose petals sweep sharply backward from a pointed yellow beak, giving them a shooting-star silhouette. It goes dormant by mid-summer.
Growing White shooting star
Grow White shooting star in part shade and medium water. Mature plants reach 6 to 12 inches tall and spread 6 to 10 inches wide.
Wildlife value
The reflexed flowers require buzz pollination and are visited almost exclusively by bumble bees, which shake pollen loose by vibrating on the anthers.
Common questions
- How much sun does White shooting star need?
- White shooting star grows best in part shade conditions.
- When does White shooting star bloom?
- White shooting star blooms in April, May, and June.
- Where is White shooting star native?
- White shooting star (Dodecatheon dentatum) is native to ID, OR, WA, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).
- What pollinators does White shooting star attract?
- White shooting star draws bumble bees.
Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow White shooting star? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.