Hypoxis hirsutus, Yellow Star Grass
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| The blooms tell us it is neither a grass or sedge. |
Growing from the southeastern to the northwestern corners of Minnesota, Yellow Star Grass is a diminutive and charming bit of spring sunshine in prairies, savannas, and open woodlands. Given its wide distribution across North America east of the Rockies, it has many common names including Yellow-eyed Grass and Common Goldstar, but a grass it is not.
Plant it as part of a short grass prairie or moist meadow, savanna or open woodland habitat. It really has quite variable habitat. In a garden setting, it appreciates moisture, can tolerate drier soil when dormant, and will reproduce via corm offsets to form a colony over time. If Yellow Star Grass has too much spring competition, it may do poorly. Plant with warm season, short-grass prairie and savanna plants such as Blue Grama, Prairie Phlox, Prairie Dropseed, Prairie Onion, Butterflyweed, and other ephemeral plants like Midland Shooting Star. For success, try to give it its own space -consider planting with another space-lover, Prairie Violet.
Blooms: yellow, May to July
Height: 6 to 8 inches
Conditions: pt sun to pt shade, moist-med to medium soils, ephemeral
