# dark-throated shooting star (*Primula pauciflora*) The dark-throated shooting star is a beautiful flower that blooms in spring. Its unique shape and lovely colors make it special in gardens and nature. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Mountain regions ![dark-throated shooting star](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Dodecatheon_pulchellum_ssp_pulchellum_5.jpg&width=800) Photo: Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dodecatheon_pulchellum_ssp_pulchellum_5.jpg) ## Appearance The dark-throated shooting star has vibrant magenta to pink-purple petals that sweep sharply backwards, creating a unique 'shooting star' shape. Its prominent dark anther cone forms a striking contrast, making the flower look like a tiny rocket blasting off. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Ericales - **Family:** Primulaceae - **Genus:** Dodecatheon ## Interesting facts - It's named 'shooting star' because the flower looks like a meteor streaking across the sky! - Its petals are so far back, they look like they're flying away! - This plant can grow even on rocky mountain slopes, what a tough guy! - When a bee buzzes its flowers, pollen shakes out like pepper! ## Special abilities - **Buzz Pollinator:** Dark-throated shooting star has special anthers that require 'buzz pollination,' helping bees collect pollen efficiently. - **Winter Napper:** This plant can retreat underground during harsh winter or dry summer conditions, conserving energy to re-emerge later. - **Upside-Down Bloom:** Its flowers hang upside-down, which helps protect their delicate pollen from rain and makes them easy for bees to access. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-50 cm - **Spread:** 15-30 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to early summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Western Bumblebee (*Bombus occidentalis*) — Buzz-pollinates the flowers for pollen. - **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for pollen and nectar. - **Eats:** [Elk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/elk) (*Cervus canadensis*) — May browse on foliage in some areas. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Biennial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/biennial): Biennial plants complete their life cycle over two growing seasons, typically forming foliage in the first year and flowering/seeding in the second. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Mountain](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/mountain): This habitat trait identifies species found in mountainous regions, characterized by high elevation, steep slopes, and varying climate zones. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch flowers in nature to keep them safe. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify dark-throated shooting star? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is dark-throated shooting star? 10-50 cm ### How wide does dark-throated shooting star spread? 15-30 cm ### How big are the flowers on dark-throated shooting star? 1-2 cm ### When does dark-throated shooting star bloom? Spring to early summer ### Is dark-throated shooting star edible? No ### Is dark-throated shooting star toxic? Mild ### What is dark-throated shooting star's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Kincaid Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kincaid-park) — Alaska, US · Park - [William Allen White Cabins](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/william-allen-white-cabins) — Colorado, US · Historic District - [Belly River Ranger Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/belly-river-ranger-station-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District - [D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/d-c-booth-historic-national-fish-hatchery) — South Dakota, US · Aquarium - [Gold Hill](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gold-hill) — Colorado, US · Neighborhood - [Rocky Mountain National Park Utility Area Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rocky-mountain-national-park-utility-area-historic-district) — Colorado, US · Historic District [View all places to see dark-throated shooting star](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/dark-throated-shooting-star) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Dark-throated Shooting Star: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dark-throated-shooting-star)