Starflower Plant Guide: How To ID, Grow Starflower (Chickweed, Wintergreen)

Image Credit: Megan Gettens³⁵

How To Identify Starflower and Its Parts

Regardless of the type of Starflower you’re trying to grow; the three main varieties: the Starflower, the Chickweed, or the stellata, each will have specific features that you can reference and compare to find the exact plant for your landscaping.

Identifying Starflower Leaves

The leaves of the Spring Starflower have a woody texture and grow from the base of the plant. They are glossy and blue-green. Its leaves are 10 inches long but less than an inch wide.

Their margins, or edges, are entirely smooth. The leaves have a slight onion or garlic smell when crushed.

In comparison, the leaves of the Midwest Starflower leaves grow in whorls of 5 and are smaller, between an inch and a half to 4 inches long. They are slender, narrowing to a tip at the end, with smooth margins.

They have a deep center vein running from base to tip with secondary veins branching off in alternating distances.

Star chickweed leaves are oval with blunt or broad tips and have smooth edges.²⁷ They are only 1 to 3 inches long with a matching diameter.

Each leaf is dark green with a covering of fine hairs. They grow directly from the base of the plant.

Common chickweed leaves are rounded with a pointed tip. Each leaf is small, only about an eighth to a third of an inch long, growing in pairs on opposite sides of a thin and hairy stem.²⁸

The stems can not support the weight of the leaves or blooms, so they tend to creep along the ground or need to be supported by neighboring plants.

Chickweed leaves are unique because they fold up at night to wrap around and protect their flowers.²⁹

Arctic Starflower leaves are pale green, turning copper in late summer.⁷ They are long, oval, or lance-shaped with blunt tips.⁸

They tend to grow larger further up the stem toward the flower.

The Stellata- variety has long, oval leaves about 7 inches in length. They are medium green and appear feather-like atop wiry and hairy stems.⁶

Identifying Starflower Seeds

Common Starflower develops from a bulb. They tend to self-seed or develop through bulbs beneath the soil.

Midwest Starflower seeds are very small and are contained within capsules that form once the flowers have pollinated.⁵ The seeds typically germinate after a cold treatment.

Star chickweed seeds are contained within oval capsules.²⁷ It has 6 distinct teeth-like ridges around the rim. The seeds are small, flat, somewhat bumpy, and have a notch on one side for germination.

Common chickweed seeds are produced in massive numbers; each plant distributing 2,500 to 15,000 small millimeter-long seeds.²⁸ They are dull in color, usually red or brown, and will mature 5 to 7 weeks after the plant has germinated.

Seeds that ripen late in the season will have to overwinter until varying temperatures cause them to germinate.

Arctic Starflower seeds are spherical capsules. Their surface is blue or gray and appears grooved with a net-like pattern.⁹

Stellata seeds are unique. They are stored in dry and papery seed heads, silvery in appearance, and about 3 inches wide.⁶

The seed heads are large enough to handle.⁴ Seed heads are commonly harvested and dried for flower arrangements.

Their seeds are small and fine. And can be harvested simply by scraping the dried seed head.

How To Create the Best Growing Conditions for Starflower

Once you’ve identified and decided on which plant you will choose to cultivate, it’s important to understand the growing zones for Starflower, where to grow them in your garden, and when to plant Starflower for the best yield.

Spring Starflowers do well in gardens with moist and well-draining soils. They prefer open spaces with plenty of air flow, although they should be protected from harsh or strong winds.¹¹

They will bloom best in regions with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight.

The Midwest variety and Chickweed Wintergreen both prefer areas set in partial shade, while the Star and Common Chickweed plants grow well in gardens with full sunshine or partial shade. Scabiosa stellata is a plant that grows better in full sun.¹⁴

Understanding the Starflower Growing Zone

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released an updated version of the hardiness zone map.³⁰ This updated version reflects the recent increase in temperature due to climate change.

Knowing your growing zone makes sure you’re not wasting resources trying to grow a plant in a region in which it can not survive.

The Spring Starflower grows well in zones 5 through 9.¹⁰ Midwest Starflower is hardy in zones 2 through 7.¹³

Both Chickweed varieties do well in US hardiness zones 4a through 11b.²⁷

The Arctic Starflower is suited for zones 2 through 7.²⁶ Scabiosa stellata grows in zones 9 through 11.

Planning Ahead for the Starflower Growth Rate

Starflowers, regardless of variety, tend to grow quickly, carpeting garden areas with a springy bed of foliage. Some species grow via bulbs, sending off new shoots of growth in several directions and others populate via rhizomes, spreading in a similar manner.

(Image: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz³⁶)

To control the growth of these types of Starflowers, you can divide the root systems or apply a pre-emergent herbicide in the fall to kill off wayward plants.

Chickweed seeds tend to lie dormant under winterized cereal crops. To minimize its growth, some agricultural sites recommend regularly rotating crops to disrupt the established Starflower colonies.²⁸

You could also spray chemical herbicides in the spring before your crops have reached the four-leaf stage of development or in the fall after your grain crops have gone dormant.

How To Select Companion Plants For Growing Starflower

When selecting companion plants, look for plants that complement the Starflower’s stature or bloom time. Remember that these are spring-time bloomers, so if you want year-round color, choose plants with different flowering seasons.

Good options for the Starflower are grape hyacinths, daffodils, and trilliums.¹¹ These flowers are taller, thereby creating a striking backdrop for the low-growing Starflower.

Because of chickweed’s aggressive growing habits, avoid planting them near plants that require a good supply of nitrogen.¹⁵

Chickweed tends to use up more resources than slow-growing competitors which can become detrimental for your other plants.

Ideal companion plants for Scabiosa stellata are taller options, like Phlox and Veronica, that can help support the sometimes leggy stems of the pincushion plant.¹² These two plants also have very different flower shapes than the pincushion which will provide visual interest.

What To Know About Growing a Starflower From a Seed, Cutting, or Seedling

Starflower and Chickweed varieties multiply via bulbs or rhizomes. While it is possible to gather seeds from these plants, you would improve your chances of growing successful plants by digging into the soil and dividing the cluster of bulbs or by separating the rhizomes.

If you do purchase seeds from a vendor, you will have to use a process called cold stratification to jumpstart the germination process. Cold stratification can start 1 to 3 months before spring, but note that the seedlings may be too tender for transplanting directly outside.

(Image: Ysabel³⁷)

Usually, they will need to be overwintered one season to make sure they can withstand the frigid temperatures. Your seed packets should have directions to meet your specific plant’s needs.

To start the process of cold stratification, line a flat surface with a paper towel, peat moss, or vermiculite.³¹ Lay the seeds out on the covered surface.

Lightly mist the seeds and surface material with water. Place the tray with the seeds inside of a plastic bag or other container that you can seal.

Label it with the date so that you don’t forget when the process started and place the entire setup in a refrigerator.

Leave it for 30 to 90 days, checking occasionally to make sure the surface material is still moist. You are looking for signs of sprouting; the seeds will begin to crack and small greenery will begin to emerge.

Fill some small 2-inch pots with organic potting soil. Remove each sprouted seed from the tray and plant it into the soil.

When deciding how deep to plant a seed, it’s a good rule of thumb to plant each seed 2 or 3 times its width.¹⁶

After your seedlings have sprouted, you will need to give them time to develop strong roots and stems to withstand the outside environment. This period is called hardening off and it’s a process where you move tender seedlings outside in stages.¹⁷

You may start for a week by placing the seedlings in the shade for a few hours each day and then bring them back inside overnight. Over the course of 2 weeks, you will gradually move the seeds closer to their final location and leave them outside for extended amounts of time.

After 2 weeks, you can plant the seeds directly in the soil. Ideally, the seedlings should be planted 2 inches into the soil, their stems even with the ground level.

Keep the area moist and water about 1 foot per week for the first month.

To divide the bulbs of the Spring Starflower, wait until fall, when the majority of the greenery has fallen. With a small hand shovel, gently dig a few inches away from the parent plant.

Dig deep enough under the bulb so that it essentially ‘rocks’ with the movement of your shovel. Pry, don’t pull the bulb from the soil.

There should be small knobs, or offsets, protruding from the main bulb. These offsets will be your new plants.

Plant the new bulbs 2 to 3 times their height into soil that is rich in organic materials.¹⁸ The bulbs will overwinter and begin to grow the following spring.

If you choose to store your bulbs, store them in a cool, dark space inside a mesh bag or dried peat moss. You can then plant them the following fall.

The Common Starflower and Chickweeds have creeping rhizomes. You can divide them in the fall using the same steps you would for dividing bulbs.

The major difference is the rhizomes of Chickweeds are shallower.

Unlike the bulbs, the rhizomes will be longer and have segmented sections. These sections will become your new plants.

Using a sterilized knife, cut the rhizomes apart at these natural bends. Each section you separate should have a tiny network of roots.

Inspect the roots to make sure they are healthy, not brittle or black with rot.

Dig a hole about 2 times the rhizome’s thickness and gently lay it into the hole, fanning its roots around it. Allow the rhizome to overwinter in the soil and it will begin to grow again in the spring.

For Scabiosa stellata, the Pincushion Starflower, harvest seeds at the end of the season, when the flowered heads have dried into papery-like shuttles. Scrape the head of the shell to remove the seeds.¹⁹

You can either directly sow the seeds outside in the fall for the following year’s growth or sow them inside 3 to 4 weeks before spring.²⁰ Transplant the seedlings to pots and begin hardening them off after the last frost has passed in your region.

Knowing ahead of time how long it takes to grow Starflower and accurately dating your seeds before storage or germination will help ensure you have a successful garden.

Important Steps for How To Stop Starflower Disease

Planning is the best method for Starflower disease prevention. As with most plants, over or underwatering and improper airflow can affect the overall health of your plants.

Understanding the watering needs for Starflower plants will help make sure you have a healthy and long-living crop that is easily maintained and beneficial to your landscape.

Overwatering creates the perfect atmosphere for fungal molds and bacteria to form. Your soil should be loose enough to allow water to soak in and then disperse.

You do not want puddles of water forming and staying around your plants. Too much water can weaken the overall structure of leaves, stems, and roots, weakening your plants and making them susceptible to pests and disease.

To prevent these types of diseases from occurring, water deeply but sparingly.⁶ Ideally, you want to thoroughly saturate the soil to a depth of 12 inches.

In addition, water in the early morning before the sun has fully risen and water at ground level to keep water from sitting on the leaves.

It is also important to make sure your plants have room for proper airflow. Airflow strengthens roots, thickens stems, moves excessive moisture, and moderates temperature.²²

To improve air quality, it’s advisable to avoid overcrowding your plants. Plant Starflowers at least 2 to 4 inches apart.¹¹

How To Control and Prevent Common Pests of the Starflower

Starflowers can be susceptible to slugs and snails.¹¹ These hungry little bugs will eat flowers, leaves, and stems, making your once full and lush garden look like a dried-out scrap of sticks.

To keep these pests at bay and avoid using toxic chemicals, look for safer types of natural pest control for Starflower plants.²³

Coffee grounds deter snails and slugs and also add valuable nitrogen to the soil. Sprinkle coffee grounds around the base of your plants to stop the slugs from climbing the shoots.

(Image: Shanegenziuk²¹)

Diatomaceous earth is the finely ground fossilized remains of green algae. This is highly abrasive to the underside of pests.

You do need to apply it frequently though as rain will wash it away.

You can also consider planting certain plants that either drive slugs and snails away from the garden or attract them to a different area. For example, garlic and chives repel pests while chamomile seedlings draw their attention.

Common Types of Star Flower Plant

Starflower plants are found growing in a variety of habitats throughout North and South America as well as across Europe, Asia, and Africa.

People within these regions tend to give their local wildflowers nicknames that may not accurately identify the species in question and the Starflower is one example of such practices.

Starflowers have distinct star-shaped blooms while others have star-shaped bursts of color within the blooms that lend to their namesake.

Spring Starflower: Ipheion uniflorum, Previously Called Tristagma uniflorum

A member of the Amaryllidaceae family, the Spring Starflower is also called the Mexican Starflower and is found growing in South America.³²

Its leaves are roughly 10 inches long and grass-like. Each flower blooms singularly atop a 6-inch stem.

The blue flowers, appearing in early spring, are small, averaging about one and a half inches wide with six petals per flower.

Due to its clumping growth habit, the Spring Starflower is a suitable ground cover option for small spaces, walkways, and rock gardens.

Midwest or Common Starflower: Lysimachia borealis

Previously called Trientalis borealis, the Midwest or Northern Starflower has been categorized into the Lysimachia group. It is a member of the Primulaceae, or Primrose family, and is common across Northern America.³³

However, in Illinois, it is a threatened species.¹²

The Midwest Starflower typically blooms in late spring but can be found in full flower throughout early summer before going dormant. Its leaves are 8 inches long, and its distinctive white flowers bloom in pairs atop stalks that are 2 to 3 inches tall.¹

It is one of the few varieties with 5 to 9 petals, although they more commonly have 7 petals.

While not particularly showy, this variety will add some early seasonal interest to woodland areas and smaller, shadier gardens.

Common Types of Chickweed (Winterweed) or Wintergreen Plants

Chickweeds are members of the Caryophyllaceae family. Chickweeds can be found throughout the United States and are considered a nuisance to some growers.

Star Chickweed, Giant Chickweed: Stellaria pubera

The most popular variety is the Star Chickweed, an edible Starflower that blooms early to mid-spring.²⁷ It grows along the ground, reaching about 12 inches tall and 18 inches in diameter.

Its slender leaves grow between 1 to 3 inches long. They can be eaten fresh or cooked.

Be careful though, they do contain saponins, which can cause negative effects on the respiratory and digestive systems if eaten in excess.² It sprouts white flowers about half an inch wide with 4 or 5 small petals.

It is used in edible gardens and can be grown along shady banks and slopes as a means to attract various pollinators including different types of bees, songbirds, and even small animals.

Common Chickweed; Winterweed: Stellaria media

Stellaria media is another type of Starflower.²⁹ It is also an edible member of the Caryophyllacaeae family and is found growing across Eurasia, North Africa, and the United States.

Because of its aggressive growth rate, it is listed as an invasive species in North Carolina.

This variety grows anywhere from 4 to 20 inches long and 4 to 12 inches wide. Its leaves are small and hairy.

Small white flowers, only a quarter of an inch wide, bloom throughout the summer months but only under bright and sunny conditions.²⁸ The blooms have 5 petals that are so deeply grooved they appear doubled, and only last for one day.

It prefers a sunny landscape and grows horizontally as ground cover. Chickweed is known to attract butterflies and moths and is also a favorite snack for chickens that are allowed to free-range.

It is also used in some regions as a means of soil retention.²⁸

The Chickweed Wintergreen: Lysimachia europaea

Returning to the Primrose family, the Chickweed Wintergreen is often called the Arctic Starflower.⁷ It is found growing throughout Europe and Asia, however, this particular species is not found in the United States.

It grows about 10 centimeters tall and features white or pink-tinted flowers that are 1 to 2 centimeters wide.⁸ Flowers bloom in sets of 2 or 3 at the top of slender stems.

Each flower has 5 to 7 petals and blooms in midsummer.

Cultivators tend to use these plants as natural soil indicators and can predict the quality of the soil based on their growth patterns.

Starflower Scabiosa stellata

Scabiosa stellata is a Starflower variety more commonly identified as a pincushion plant because of its distinctive globed-shaped flower head. It is a member of the Dipsacaceae Juss – Teasel family.³⁴

They tend to reach between 18 to 24 inches tall and come in a variety of colors.³ Their flowers are round with several clusters of flowers at the top that give it a distinct pincushion shape.

Some varieties have outlying petals or geometric shapes within the blooms that lend themselves to the Starflower nickname.

They are most commonly grown in gardens that will be used as ornamental features or for cultivators who want to cut and dry flowers for display.⁴

As you can see, there are several types of Starflowers available in many different families. Each species is a cold-weather plant which makes them great options for gardeners looking to expand their gardening seasons.

They are also perfect for naturalists looking for alternative ways to provide foraging options for local wildlife.

Starflower Symbolism

Since these plants are found all across the globe, several cultures associate different meanings behind the Starflower symbolism. In Chile, the Starflower represents the renewal of life.²⁴

Chickweed is used in alternative medicines and is said to smooth and soothe areas of irritation, whether physically or mentally.²⁵ The Scabiosa variety was once believed to calm the itching caused by scabies and other skin irritations.²⁰

Regardless of whether you believe in the power of these subtle, but beautiful plants, you will no doubt benefit from including them in your landscape gardening.

Don’t be fooled by their delicate appearance, Starflowers are very hardy and easy to care for plants. They add an early pop of color to herald in the warmer months, are resistant to deer and rabbits, are valuable pollinators, and are a food source for small mammals in the area.

Whether they be Starflowers, Chickweeds, Wintergreens, or Stellatas, these little plants are some of the easiest varieties to include in your garden and their delicate beauty will provide a lovely addition to any home.