Bare Root Eastern Yellow Star-grass; Goldstar (Hypoxis hirsuta)

Herbaceous, North American late-spring flowering perennial
Description: Bright yellow, star-shaped flowers appear slightly below the hairy, grass-like foliage
Habit: Forms a narrow rosette of basal leaves 6 to 8 inches tall
Culture: Prefers dappled to mostly sun and well-drained soil; suitable for woodland gardens
Hardiness: Cold hardy to USDA Zone 2

This charming native lily is found in wet to dry prairies and open forests from eastern North America as far west as Kansas and Minnesota. Interestingly, some botanists assign it to the Amaryllis family and others to the Hypoxidaceae, or star grass family.  

In an undated memorandum, Thomas Jefferson is most likely referring to Eastern Yellow Star-grass as: “a little yellow flower from the woods Star of Bethlehem.” It was introduced to European gardens as Hypoxis erecta in 1752 and Philip Miller grew it in his greenhouse at the Chelsea Physic Garden and described it as “a very humble plant.”

The flowers attract bees and butterflies.

This plant will ship bare root.

Bare root planting tips:

~ If you can't plant immediately, store your plant in a cool location and keep the roots moist or pot in a container with a nursery potting mix from your local garden center.

~ Before planting, let the roots soak for several hours as you prepare the site. You'll want to dig a large enough hole so the root mass can spread out and the plant is at the same soil level as when it was growing in the nursery.

~ Once planted, water it in well and wait a month before fertilizing. Mulching will help to maintain moisture and raise soil temperatures for faster growth.