About
Dodecatheon hendersonii, the sailor caps or Henderson's shooting star, is a sturdy, summer-dormant perennial to 45 cm tall with a basal rosette of intense-green, oblong leaves and terminal domed heads of pale to deep magenta-pink, cyclamen-like flowers 2 cm long with a yellow-marked base in spring. A bold and colourful shooting star for a moist, partly shaded woodland border.
About the genus
Dodecatheon, the shooting stars or American cowslips, are summer-dormant, rosette-forming herbaceous perennials with basal rosettes of simple leaves and erect stems bearing umbels of cyclamen-like flowers with strongly reflexed petals in spring. Charming woodland and rock-garden plants for moist, partly shaded positions.
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun, Partial shade
Soil typeChalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing, East-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH5
Plant details
Plant typeAlpine Rockery, Herbaceous Perennial
HabitClump forming
FoliageDeciduous
Height0.1-0.5 metres
Spread0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Gravel garden, Rock garden
Native toCalifornia
Care notes
CultivationGrows well in humus-rich soils with abundant moisture. Keep in a bulb frame when dormant in summer
PruningNo pruning required
PropagationPropagate by seed sown as soon as ripe in containers in a coldframe or by division in spring. Seeds need cold exposure for germination
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to slugs and snails
Disease resistanceGenerally disease-free