Hansen's Northwest Native Plant Database

Dodecatheon hendersonii (Shooting Star, Mosquito Bill)

Kingdom Plantae – Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons

Subclass Dilleniidae

Order Primulales

Family Primulaceae – Primrose family

Genus Dodecatheon L. – shootingstar

Species Dodecatheon hendersonii A. Gray – mosquito bills

Shooting Stars are among the most loved wild flowers.

This one has some distinguishing features that set it apart. Visually noticeable are the broader leaves and dark red to purple stems, and the other feature is their limited habitat.

They are only found between the coast and Cascade Mountains from Vancouver Island to Southern California with a strong concentration found in the Willamette Valley of Oregon.

The 6-7” stems hold a cluster of rose purple nodding blooms.

Prefers to grow in areas with adequate Spring moisture that will dry out in Summer, USDA zones 8-9.