Henderson's Shootingstar

Almost entirely unnoticeable but for its magenta flowers, Henderson's shooting star is a small perennial herb. The plant has a clump of 2-16 cm leaves, spotted green, white, and red, that surround the base of the erect, reddish stalk. On the top of the 10-30 cm stalks rest the distinct nodding flowers. The 4-5 flower petals, which range from magenta to deep lavender (rarely white), are thrust back while the pollen-laden stamens protrude from the center. The plant’s fruit is a many-seeded capsule — a dry, multi-chambered fruit that splits open. This plant is highly variable, as it can hybridize with its sister species Primula clevelandii; however, it can be distinguished by its reddish stem.

Basic Information

• Member of the Primulaceae family

• Perennial herb

Habitat

• Native to western North America, from southern British Columbia down to California and east to Idaho

• Common to open woodlands

Ecological Role

• Especially valuable as a pollen source to bumble bees and other bee species

Reproduction

• Blooms in winter and spring

• The flower turns upward following pollination

• Plants germinated from seed may take 3-5 years to produce flowers

Alternative Names

• Foothill Shooting Star, broad-leaved shooting star, mosquito bills, and sailor caps

Historical Uses

• Native people used the flowers decoratively and to aid children to sleep

• The leaves were occasionally used as an eye wash or an oral gargle