Amethyst Shooting Star (Primula fassettii) is a charming spring ephemeral that sends up nodding clusters of magenta-pink flowers with swept-back petals, resembling tiny shooting stars. Blooming in mid to late spring, it provides an important early nectar and pollen source for queen bumblebees and other native bees emerging after winter. The unique flowers rely on “buzz pollination,” making them especially valuable to bumblebees that vibrate the blooms to release pollen. Low rosettes of smooth green leaves form neat clumps that fade back as summer heat arrives. Amethyst Shooting Star thrives in woodland edges, moist prairies, and lightly shaded gardens where spring wildflowers are welcome. It’s a beautiful and ecologically important addition to early-season pollinator habitats.