Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants
Alpine RockeryHerbaceous Perennial

Dodecatheon hendersonii

sailor caps

A sturdy herbaceous perennial to 45cm in height, with a basal rosette of deep green, oblong leaves and terminal umbels of pale to deep magenta-pink flowers 2cm in length, marked with yellow at base

Other common names
Californian cyclamen
mosquito bills
Synonyms
Dodecatheon integrifolium
Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metres
Time to ultimate height
2–5 years
Ultimate spread
0.1–0.5 metres
Growing conditions
Chalk
Clay
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Green
Summer Pink Yellow Green
Autumn Green
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
  • Partial shade
Aspect

South–facing or West–facing or East–facing

Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H5
Botanical details
Family
Primulaceae
Native to GB / Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Clump forming
Genus

Dodecatheon are summer-dormant herbaceous perennials with basal rosettes of simple leaves and erect or arching stems bearing umbels of cyclamen-like flowers with strongly reflexed petals

Name status

Correct

Plant range
California

How to grow

Cultivation

Grows well in humus-rich soils with abundant moisture. Keep in a bulb frame when dormant in summer

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown as soon as ripe in containers in a coldframe or by division in spring. Seeds need cold exposure for germination

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Gravel garden
  • Rock garden
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Underplanting of roses and shrubs
Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs and snails

Diseases

Generally disease-free

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.