Over the years I've developed a fairly ruthless approach to starting perennials. In late autumn I sow seed in flats, cover the flats with 1/4" hardware cloth to keep squirrels and jays from digging in them, and leave them outside to experience their first Pacific Northwest winter. If they survive the wet, the chill, and the occasional ice storm, they germinate sometime in the spring. Unfortunately, so do any weed seeds that managed to drift in.
I know what a lot of perennial seedlings look like, and for things that are new to me I have some good books to help me out. But every once in a while I'm just completely stymied. So I think I've just pricked out seedlings for a dozen pots of Shooting Star, but I'm not entirely certain.
Time will certainly tell.
