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

Description and botany

Dodecatheon, also called gyroselle, is an herbaceous perennial plant of the Primulaceae family, a cousin of primroses and cyclamens, native to cool woodland, wet meadows and sometimes alpine areas of North America.

The genus comprises 14 species, among which Dodecatheon meadia or Gyroselle of Virginia is the most widespread. It has given rise to some interesting cultivars such as ‘Queen Victoria’. Only four species are commercially available in our country and Dodecatheon jeffreyi, Dodecatheon hendersonii and Dodecatheon pulchellum are rarely offered for sale.

Slow-growing, the gyroselle forms in spring a tuft of erect leaves gathered into a basal rosette. It measures 10 to 45 cm in height. Leaves, oval to lanceolate, spatulate or obovate, 2 to 25 cm long, are sometimes irregularly dentate. Glabrous or slightly velvety and fleshy, they recall primrose leaves. From fresh green to dark green, they sometimes flush purple towards the petiole depending on variety. Foliage is deciduous and regenerates in spring.

Dodecatheon meadia – botanical illustration

Graceful and exquisitely delicate, gyroselle flowering is of rare beauty. From March to June, depending on climate, a multitude of floral stalks, fine yet vigorous, rise well above foliage, sometimes exceeding 40 cm in height. At the tip of these bare greenish-pink stems, slightly arched, hang gracefully umbels of around fifteen flowers revealing a calyx of 5 sepals fully turned back. Their singular shape, with narrow lanceolate petals directed backwards and borne on long peduncles, unmistakably evokes miniature cyclamens.

Like suspended bells turned towards the sky, they open in clouds of small inverted bell-flowers 1 to 3 cm long in colour ranging from pastel pink, cyclamen pink to raspberry or cherry red, more rarely cream-white; flowers are slightly white at the base. The flower centre, very conspicuous, displays a pointed cluster of 5 stamens fused together and protruding, deep purplish-brown or deep violet, ringed with golden-yellow, orange or white.

Like a heavenly ode, this magical flowering would pay homage to twelve gods of Olympus; in Greek “dodeca” means “twelve” and “theos” means “gods”.

As with many spring plants, gyroselle has a very short growth cycle: after flowering it enters dormancy, losing foliage during summer and disappearing completely.

Very hardy to -15°C to -25°C, Dodecatheon prefers cool, mountainous climates. This small perennial of humid woodland requires dappled light or partial shade and a humus-rich, acidic soil that remains very fresh to even moist during growth period, while being well drained.

Main species and varieties

Dodecatheon meadia or Virginia shooting-star is the most widespread species; it occurs in numerous varieties displaying flowers in all shades of pink from pale to carmine, including white.

Our favourites

Dodecatheon meadia Queen Victoria

Pretty carmine-pink flowers to brighten cool, shady spots. 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; plant in sheltered 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 to -25 °C. It is very comfortable in rather cool climates and in a mountain garden.

Although tolerant of cold, this small moist-shade plant nevertheless has 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 prefers partial shade or shaded but bright spots 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.

Think carefully about placement because once well established, this plant does not tolerate transplanting well.

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

Being particularly fond of moisture, it will also thrive 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 plant Gyroselle. Space plants 30–40 cm apart to allow clumps to develop freely and allow 5 to 7 buckets per m². As its foliage 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 appreciate cool, moist soils and shaded positions.

• Clear soil of stones, roots and weeds
• Work soil well by adding a mixture of turf and leaf mould
• Dig a hole 2–3 times pot volume
• Lay a drainage layer of gravel or coarse sand
• Plant and cover rootball with fertile soil mix
• Water generously to favour rooting
• Mulch in spring with pine bark to keep soil cool

Dodecatheon redolens

Care and maintenance

Once well established, Dodecatheon requires virtually no maintenance and proves to be a carefree perennial, able to live for many years without any care, provided soil remains consistently moist, especially during flowering.

It does not tolerate very dry soil: if necessary water regularly once or twice a week during growth so soil remains moist.

After flowering, leaves collapse onto soil, then deciduous foliage disappears in summer, leaving plant in dormancy underground, making it difficult to spot, but that is fortunate as it does not require watering during this period! That said, we recommend marking its location to avoid damaging it while weeding and to make it easier to control gastropods once growth begins.

Remove spent flower stalks if necessary, quite unsightly after flowering, and cover stump with a tapetum of dry leaves.

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

Multiplication

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

Divide clumps of Gyroselle

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

Companion planting Dodecatheon in the garden

Dodecatheon is an essential shade-loving perennial to bring colour and freshness in heart of spring, in a woodland garden, used as groundcover in cool understorey, beneath deciduous trees or bushes or as punctuation in a damp shady rockery.

Gracile, with pink flowers, more rarely white, it blooms in all nature-inspired gardens, creating fresh scenes, in subtle or lively combinations. In a pink garden or a romantic garden pair it with hardy fuchsias, Dicentra spectabilis or Bleeding Heart.

A planting idea for a shady spot: 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 shine when paired with cyclamens, white narcissi, snowdrops, erythronium and other spring bulbs such as early tulips, scillas and muscari, which will also make good companions.

Small shade-loving perennials such as primroses or violas will compose delicate combinations with it.

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

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

And get inspired by our ideas for planting under trees!