While Prairie Shooting Star, known as *Primula meadia* in some references, is readily available in the nursery trade, it is a very rare sight in the wild in Minnesota with only a single known location in Mower County. According to the DNR <http://dnr.state.mn.us/rsg/profile.html/…>, it was first discovered in a prairie strip along a railroad in 1980, but this lone population was nearly wiped out 10 years later after the railroad was abandoned and road construction and agricultural development ensued. The remaining population is very small and still at risk from pesticide drift from nearby fields and roadsides, unauthorized mowing, and even poaching. It was listed as a MN Special Concern species in 1984 and elevated to Endangered in 1996. It is nearly indistinguishable from the related and more common (in Minnesota) Jeweled Shooting Star <https://minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/…> (*Dodecatheon amethystinum*). While the flowers of *D. meadia* are typically lighter colored than *D. amethystinum*, the most reliable differences are the fruits, which are thin-walled, flexible, and dry to a light yellowish to reddish for *D. amethystinum*, and thick-walled, firm, and dry to a dark reddish brown for *D. meadia*. Habitat is also a good indicator, with *D. amethystinum*found in more shaded cliffs and forests, and *D. meadia* preferring more open ground. https://minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/… In my garden, the Shooting star is abundant, blooming about the same time with the Arisaemas. I always collect seed to spread on the larger property, as it is fairly rare. We have snow at the moment, but it was 43F yesterday, more snow on its way today and tomorrow. Luminita, zone 3-4-5 -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: IMG_2148.JPG Type: image/jpeg Size: 4123134 bytes Desc: not available URL: <http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/pipermail/pbs/…> -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: IMG_2184.JPG Type: image/jpeg Size: 4036716 bytes Desc: not available URL: <http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/pipermail/pbs/…> -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: IMG_2145.JPG Type: image/jpeg Size: 4639272 bytes Desc: not available URL: <http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/pipermail/pbs/…> _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net>