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Dodecatheon have basal clumps of leaves, with nodding flowers. The stamens are thrust out with the sepals bent back. Dodecatheon are mostly from North America.

Taxonomy

There are about 14 species, including the following:

• Dodecatheon alpinum
• Dodecatheon clevelandii
• Dodecatheon conjugens
• Dodecatheon cusickii
• Dodecatheon dentatum
• Dodecatheon hendersonii
• Dodecatheon jeffreyi
• Dodecatheon poeticum
• Dodecatheon pulchellum
• Dodecatheon redolens
• Dodecatheon subalpinum

Ecological aspects

Dodecatheon are pollinated by bees, which grab hold of the petals, and gather pollen by vibrating the flowers via buzzing their wings. The vibration releases pollen from the anthers. This is called buzz pollination.

Cultivation

Dodecatheon needs good drainage. Many species need a dry summer period. For Dodecatheon, plants germinated from seed may take 3-5 years to produce flowers. For some Dodecatheon, with frequent light fertilization and moisture, dormancy may be delayed, and flowering time may be decreased to 1-2 years. Another technique to speed flowering is to place them in a cooler after dormancy, then bring them to a shadehouse in midsummer.

Dodecatheon can be grown by division in winter.

References

• Treatment from the Jepson Manual
• ITIS 23943
• Cullina, William, and Cullina, Bill (2000) "The New England Wild Flower Society Guide to Growing and Propagating Wildflowers of the United States and Canada", Houghton Mifflin Company, ISBN 0395966094.
• Oregon Flora Project