Starflowers are considered to be one of the easiest to grow of the spring-flowering bulbs, and is easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. We have ours growing primarily under two Magnolia trees, but as we have been finding new plants straying out very far into the lawn we have been digging them up and setting them around other tree trunks in the landscape. They naturalize perfectly around trees, casting seed modestly. Plant bulbs 2-3” deep and space 2-4” apart in fall. For the homeowner however, the strays can be dug up as soon as you spot them. If you wait for these till the fall, you will scarcely be able to remember where they were. Starflowers neutralizes easily by bulb multiplication and the seeds produced readily germinate and grow, providing new plants to plant elsewhere in the landscape. Starflowers go dormant by late spring and the foliage just disappears.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Ipheion uniflorum, is native to parts of South America and features grass-like foliage and solitary star-shaped flowers on 6” tall stems in early spring. Each bulb produces multiple flowering stems. Flowers range in color from almost white to violet-blue. The flowers of the variety we have, Wisley Blue, are a dreamy pastel blue.