Its blossoms look like shooting stars, with petals that reflex backward and point to the sky, exposing the stamens—an unmistakable feature!
Produces clusters of vivid pink to amethyst-purple flowers on tall, slender stems, rising above basal rosettes of leaves.
Relies on buzz pollination, meaning bumblebees vibrate their wings to release pollen from the flower’s anthers.
Foliage dies back in summer, so it shares space well with later-blooming plants in gardens and natural habitats.
Can persist for decades in the right conditions, often forming clumps in meadows or open woods.
Its blossoms look like shooting stars, with petals that reflex backward and point to the sky, exposing the stamens—an unmistakable feature!
Produces clusters of vivid pink to amethyst-purple flowers on tall, slender stems, rising above basal rosettes of leaves.
Relies on buzz pollination, meaning bumblebees vibrate their wings to release pollen from the flower’s anthers.
Foliage dies back in summer, so it shares space well with later-blooming plants in gardens and natural habitats.
Can persist for decades in the right conditions, often forming clumps in meadows or open woods.
Bloom: late spring
Habitats: rocky cliffs; sheltered areas of upland prairies where moisture tends to accumulate; thinly wooded bluffs
Lifespan: perennial
Moisture: moist
Plant type (height): forb (6 to 18 inches)
Requirements: full sun to partial sun
Soil: loam; rocky
