Primula jeffreyi
Sierra shooting star, Sierra Shooting Star
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Steve Matson · licence
Family: Primulaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Primula jeffreyi (Sierra shooting star) is a native California herb in the Primulaceae family, recognized by enlarged stigma and variable fruit opening diagnostic.
Sierra shooting star is a California native perennial found in northwestern California (excluding North Coast), the Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, and Modoc Plateau in moist to dry meadows and streambanks at elevations of 600 to 3,000 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces magenta to lavender or white flowers with large corolla lobes 10 to 25 millimeters long in clusters of 3 to 18 blooms. Growing with glabrous leaves and glandular-hairy stems 10 to 60 centimeters tall, it forms distinctive rosettes of linear-oblanceolate leaves. Its elongated leaves measure 9 to 50 centimeters long, tapering to the base and ranging from entire to slightly crenate in texture. The flower's distinctive dark purple anthers and enlarged stigma add unique visual interest to this elegant alpine wildflower.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species; enlarged stigma and variable fruit opening diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist to dry meadows, streambanks
Elevation: 600-3000 m
California counties: Fresno, Placer, Tulare, Tuolumne, San Bernardino
Outside California: to Alaska, Montana
Bloom period
Primula jeffreyi blooms Jun-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Lantana: Primula has backward-swept petals in umbrella-shaped clusters; Lantana has flat-faced flowers in dense rounded heads.; vs Pelargonium: Primula petals reflex dramatically backward with stamens forming a cone; Pelargonium petals spread forward with separate stamens.; vs Oenothera: Primula flowers have backward-swept petals in umbel clusters; Oenothera has bowl-shaped flowers opening singly or in spikes.; vs Cistanthe: Primula has backward-swept petals and cone-shaped stamens; Cistanthe has flat, rounded petals with separate stamens.; vs Kalanchoe: Primula is an herbaceous wildflower with reflexed petals; Kalanchoe is a succulent with tubular upright flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Primula jeffreyi native to California?
Yes. Primula jeffreyi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Primula jeffreyi bloom?
Primula jeffreyi blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Primula jeffreyi grow?
Primula jeffreyi occurs in Fresno, Placer, Tulare, Tuolumne, San Bernardino, at elevations of 600-3000 m.
What plant family does Primula jeffreyi belong to?
Primula jeffreyi is in the Primulaceae family, genus Primula.
What habitat does Primula jeffreyi grow in?
Primula jeffreyi grows in Moist to dry meadows, streambanks.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.