Bloomipedia
Yellow star grass (Hypoxis hirsuta)
Photo: Rafael Medina via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Yellow star grass

Hypoxis hirsuta

Yellow star grass (Hypoxis hirsuta) is a flowering plant in the Hypoxidaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–June across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Yellow star grass is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 5 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in April–June.

38states where USDA records it
5Bloomipedia state lists include it
15,205U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Missouri, Rhode Island

Quick look

Hypoxis hirsuta, commonly known as common goldstar, common star-grass, eastern yellow stargrass, yellow star grass, or yellow star flower, is a perennial ornamental plant in the family Hypoxidaceae. Sometimes this plant is placed in the family Amaryllidaceae or the family Liliaceae. The species is native to the United States, Canada, and northeastern Mexico.

  • It belongs to the Hypoxidaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 38 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Georgia, Missouri, Alabama, Connecticut and Rhode Island. NatureServe
  • In Georgia, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–July. iNaturalist
  • In Missouri, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as yellow. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as early spring. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 0.8 ft. USDA PLANTS
  • iNaturalist has 921 research-grade sightings of it in Georgia, ranking #103 among the 183 flowers on our Georgia list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 691 research-grade sightings of it in Missouri, ranking #101 among the 177 flowers on our Missouri list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 679 research-grade sightings of it in Alabama, ranking #89 among the 167 flowers on our Alabama list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (2,559 records)
Bloom time in the 5 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
GeorgiaNativeApril–July921
MissouriNativeApril–May691
AlabamaNativeMarch–May679
ConnecticutNativeMay–July577
Rhode IslandNativefew records (41)176

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
State rare plant lists
Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 4 of our 5 states.
See each state
Georgia
Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Georgia. Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09
Missouri
Not listed Not on Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Missouri. 3 CSR 10-4.111
Connecticut
Not listed Not on Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Connecticut. CT E/T/SC list
Rhode Island
Not listed Not on Rhode Island Rare Plants 2016 (RI Natural History Survey, from the RI Wildlife Action Plan; informational, Rhode Island has no state plant-protection listing law). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Rhode Island. RI rare plants 2016
Alabama
No list Alabama has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alabama ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Alabama.
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: CO (S1), ME (SX), NH (S2), VT (SH). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records yellow star grass in 38 states plus Washington, D.C.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.

Georgia counties with USDA records: Baker, Bartow, Bibb, Brantley, Bulloch, Cherokee, Clarke, Clay, Cobb, Coffee, Colquitt, Columbia, Dade, Decatur, Douglas, Echols, Elbert, Floyd, Fulton, Hall, Harris, Hart, Irwin, Johnson, Lee, Lincoln, Madison, Meriwether, Miller, Morgan, Murray, Muscogee, Putnam, Rabun, Stephens, Stewart, Talbot, Tift, Toombs, Turner, Upson, Walker, White, Whitfield.

Missouri counties with USDA records: Adair, Barry, Barton, Benton, Bollinger, Boone, Butler, Callaway, Camden, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Cass, Christian, Cole, Crawford, Dade, Dallas, Dent, Franklin, Grundy, Henry, Hickory, Howell, Iron, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Laclede, Lewis, Linn, Macon, Madison, Maries, Marion, McDonald, Miller, Monroe, Morgan, Newton, Ozark, Perry, Phelps, Pike, Polk, Pulaski, Ralls, Randolph, Reynolds, Ripley, Shannon, Shelby, St. Clair, St. Louis, Ste. Genevieve, Stone, Sullivan, Taney, Vernon, Washington, Webster.

Alabama counties with USDA records: Autauga, Barbour, Bibb, Butler, Calhoun, Chambers, Chilton, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Dallas, DeKalb, Elmore, Fayette, Hale, Jackson, Jefferson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lee, Macon, Marshall, Monroe, Randolph, Shelby, St. Clair, Sumter, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Wilcox.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Yellow star grass a medium shade tolerance, medium drought tolerance and medium moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 5.2 to 7.3 and winter lows down to -33 °F.

Shade tolerance
Medium
Drought tolerance
Medium
Moisture use
Medium
Soil textures it is adapted to
medium, fine
Soil pH range
5.2 to 7.3
Minimum temperature tolerated
-33 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum)
120
Annual precipitation range
18 to 55 inches
Minimum root depth
7 inches
Salinity tolerance
None
Fertility requirement
Medium
Growth rate
Moderate
Lifespan
Moderate
Active growth period
Spring
Fruit or seed
Black · Spring to Summer
Can be propagated by
corm, seed
Commercial availability
Routinely Available

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for HYHI2. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Ornithogalum hirsutum.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 1149 counties across 37 states; the most are in North Carolina (82), Illinois (79), Virginia (79).

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Sources