Dodecatheon- Shootings stars!

Dodecatheon full plant

Dodecatheon are also known as shooting stars, though they always seem to be on a rather precipitously downward trajectory to me. The Merriam Webster dictionary gives the etymology of the name as Latin deriving from the Greek for Twelve Gods, which apparently has some connection to primrose. They are natives of North America, living in a variety of habitats, but all need a soil that does not dry out during the flowering season.
Dodecatheon is indeed a member of the Primulaceae, and as you would expect is a Spring flowerer, appearing in late April here in Cumbria) and flowering through much of May. Once seed has been set it starts to die back, so that by July, it has almost disappeared completely, leaving only a nobbly surface bud as evidence of its presence (do mark its position clearly - you don't want to dig it up and discard it by accident). 
It is therefore a member of that gorgeous group of plants known as the Spring Ephemerals, which includes other beauties such as Trillim, Erythroniums, Dicentra and Sanguinaria.
The plants pictured grow to about 16 inches high, the clumps bulking up each year. These are ready to be split as the flower heads are getting a bit congested. This is best done about the end of July. Good garden plants!

Little shooting stars!

I have only one form at the moment, but they are available in other colours (white and pink) and slightly different forms. I shall be growing more of the species in the future and hope to have a limited number of plants on sale in the Spring of 2018
).