Deno’s GardenMy Garden

Primula meadia

Eastern Shooting Star · Common Shooting Star · Pride of Ohio · Midland Shooting Star

Family PrimulaceaeGenus Primula

Also published as Dodecatheon meadia, Dodecatheon media. You are in the right place.

A pink flower with four swept-back petals and a pointed beak of yellow and dark red, hanging from a curved stalk beside a closed bud.
FlowerDepartment of the Interior. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. National Conservation Training Center. 10/1997-8888Public domain

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Habit
perennialPlants of the World Online
Flower
White, pink, lavender, magentaWikipedia

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Wikipedia — Wikipedia contributors.

Worth knowing

This source reports 4 treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around August 20, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on August 19, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Temperature: 40°F 4°C Light: either

about 6 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 49 days.

100% germination in 35–49 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Dodecatheon p. 134Public domain
Show the original text
Dodecatheon (Primulaceae). D. media has inhibitors that are destroyed at 40 followed by germination at 40. It takes 8-1.2 w for the inhibitors to be destroyed in fresh seed and 6 w in seeds DS 6 m at 70. Fresh seeds germ. 40(98% in 8-16w),70-40-70(15%), and 97% in April for seeds placed outdoors in September. Seeds DS 6 m at 70 germ. 40(100% in 5-7 w). Light or GA-3 did not initiate germination.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Dodecatheon p. 134. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 14, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Temperature: 40°F 4°C Light: either

Germination happens during step 1, in 112 days.

98% germination in 56–112 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Dodecatheon p. 134Public domain
Show the original text
Dodecatheon (Primulaceae). D. media has inhibitors that are destroyed at 40 followed by germination at 40. It takes 8-1.2 w for the inhibitors to be destroyed in fresh seed and 6 w in seeds DS 6 m at 70. Fresh seeds germ. 40(98% in 8-16w),70-40-70(15%), and 97% in April for seeds placed outdoors in September. Seeds DS 6 m at 70 germ. 40(100% in 5-7 w). Light or GA-3 did not initiate germination.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Dodecatheon p. 134. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Sow around September 2027 — a date the source gives, not one counted back from a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 2026.

  1. Sow outdoors and leave it

    Sown outdoors in September; up in April.

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 210 days to germinate.

97% germination in 210 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Dodecatheon p. 134Public domain
Show the original text
Dodecatheon (Primulaceae). D. media has inhibitors that are destroyed at 40 followed by germination at 40. It takes 8-1.2 w for the inhibitors to be destroyed in fresh seed and 6 w in seeds DS 6 m at 70. Fresh seeds germ. 40(98% in 8-16w),70-40-70(15%), and 97% in April for seeds placed outdoors in September. Seeds DS 6 m at 70 germ. 40(100% in 5-7 w). Light or GA-3 did not initiate germination.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Dodecatheon p. 134. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 4

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around September 17, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 16, 2026.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: either

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C Light: either

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: either

about 6 months from start to step 3. Germination happens during step 3; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

15% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Dodecatheon p. 134Public domain
Show the original text
Dodecatheon (Primulaceae). D. media has inhibitors that are destroyed at 40 followed by germination at 40. It takes 8-1.2 w for the inhibitors to be destroyed in fresh seed and 6 w in seeds DS 6 m at 70. Fresh seeds germ. 40(98% in 8-16w),70-40-70(15%), and 97% in April for seeds placed outdoors in September. Seeds DS 6 m at 70 germ. 40(100% in 5-7 w). Light or GA-3 did not initiate germination.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Dodecatheon p. 134. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

Add to My Garden

View species page