Though Lysimachia borealis is a diminutive plant in the understory, found in colonies that help roll out the spring carpet along with Canada mayflower and wild sarsaparilla, its beauty is outsized. The starflower, you could say, has star power. With a striking white bloom atop a star-like whorl of leaves, the short-lived L. borealis grabs the attention of specific pollinators (and human shutterbugs) to make the most of its moment in the sun. By midsummer, the star-shaped whorl will yellow and fall and the plant will re-enter dormancy, leaving its stalks and seeds — and fans — behind. Though it can also spread by rhizome and is considered a groundcover of sorts, L. borealis hasn’t yet crossed over into the commercial trade; thus, when a specimen makes an unscripted appearance in the home garden, it feels rather like a celebrity sighting.
