Shooting star plant is a type of wildflower commonly found in a home garden.
Originating from North American mountains and valleys, the shooting star flower loves an area with steady moisture.
It blooms when summer or spring comes. Speaking of physical characteristics, it goes with an upright stem crowded with some star-shaped flowers, pointing down.
The perennial has a range variety of colors from dark purple to pink.
In this article, we'll cover
1. Varieties of Shooting Star Plant in Nature
There is a wide range of varieties of shooting star wildflower in nature.
Alpine shooting star, native to California, has a charming look where taffy pink dominates the petals.
A frigid shooting star is another striking variant that goes with a basal clump of leaves.
It’s typically found in a rocky area with a high level of moisture. If you can’t leave the grace of purple, Bonneville shooting star can’t be skipped out. It’s the pride of Wyoming and Oregon.
Sometimes, the shooting star plant is misled by people because it looks like berry bush inhabiting the jungle.
Despite so, you can identify the floral species by identifying the shade of it. Let’s get back to the variety you can opt for.
Another beautiful addition to your cute home garden is, for sure, Mead’s shooting star.
The purple shooting star has star-like flowers and usually goes dormant and is gone during hot summer.
2. How to Grow Shooting Star Plant
The unique characteristic that the shooting star flower has to offer is that it generates green capsules relatively small and stiff after the blooming season. They are comprised of shooting star seeds.
The role of bees to do pollination is included to support the seed dissemination.
In the natural scene, the capsules (or known as fruits) usually keep staying on the plant until they are mature and eventually fall.
If you are about to grow the shooting star plant on your own, be sure to harvest the mature fruits first.
After being at hands, you can sow the seeds on the prepared planting ground.
One specific term to underline is none other than seed stratification. Some of you might not get familiar with that.
In a few words, it refers to a type of process of breaking the seed dormancy so that the germination can be promoted.
For successful stratification, it’s vital that you mimic the precise condition of breaking the dormancy process.
Make it as alike as possible like in nature one.
Since the seeds require moist and wet treatment, ensure that you place them in your refrigerator for around 90 days.
When spring comes, immediately take the seeds out of the household appliance.
Sow the seeds over the raised garden bed in the partial or full shade.
3. The Best Growing Setting for Shooting Star Plant
The common shooting star plant thrives well in a condition full of moist. Thus, consider a setting that’s close to a water source (a pond for instance).
This one helps the perennial live better as if it occupied in its wet-saturated natural habitat.
The proper environment affects the development of the flower.
The plant starts usually blooming in the spring (especially in late May or at the beginning of June).
To determine whether the shooting star flower enjoys its life or suffers, you can check out the condition of the current foliage.
The healthy ones are normally light green. Be aware if the leaves turn their color. There must be something wrong with its surroundings.
Although the growth rate is relatively slow, you have to keep making sure that plant reaches its normal height ranging from 20 to 30 centimeters (or 8 to 12 inches).
4. Type of Soil Required by Shooting Star Plant to Grow
Aside from the level of moisture, soil condition is the thing to consider. For the optimal growing, choose either normal soil or clay.
The dense soil is needed to keep the strength of the flowering plant’s root.
The pH level of the soil also matters. The best condition should be in either normal or acid. The base situation surely hampers the plant’s growth.
When it comes to soil moisture (as clarified preciously) must be wet or moist.
Is it common to grow the shooting star plant in a pot? Although it’s possible to do that, the potting environment appears to be artificial for the plant.
Keep in mind that you are required to set the growing place as similar to its natural habitat.
Its life is relatively short. Hence planting in a pot is not recommended.
5. Handy Tips concerning the Shooting Star Plant Care
It’s such a simple task when the highlight is growing the shooting star plant – and the same is true with the caring. Let’s start with watering.
Since it requires a high level of moisture, regular watering is the thing you can’t take lightly.
When the soil begins drying out, immediately water it until the water is fully absorbed.
For the additional nourishment, you can add some fertilizer.
The nutrient content in it helps the flowering plant produce the fruits better as well as accelerate the blooming process.
Like the rests of the plant’s treatment, you need to understand that feeding much food will be that impactful on the plant’s health.
Usually, the flowering perennial producing a set of gorgeous flowers will go with a leggy stem.
The real threat that you need to be aware of comes from animals including elk and deer.
This type of notice applies to those living in Canada or northern parts of United States.
Those creatures love to dine the flowers, and they can attack your lovely plant anytime in the spring.
In addition to the menace offered by the herbivores, be mindful to butterfly larvae as well as the moth.
They are the true pest you need to exterminate soon.
To the point, shooting star plant can’t tolerate a dry environment. Native to an area with the winter season, this graceful perennial requires wet-saturated soil.
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The great idea is to build a growing setting like its natural habitat to make it thrive well.
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