Ornithogalum umbellatum

Commonly referred to as The Star of Bethlehem, this prolific naturalizer has 10 to 20 star-shaped white flowers in a central cluster with faint green stripes on the reverse, and semi-erect, grass-like foliage. Circa 1593, this centuries-old deer- and rodent-resistant heirloom is a bit of a night owl. The little flowers open late in the day and close at night. As it matures over time, when it’s happy where it’s planted, it can naturalize by both bulb offsets (called bulbils: baby bulbs on the sides of the mother bulb you’ve planted) and self-sowing seed. Please check your state’s listing of invasive plants: in some areas, it is considered invasive. (There’s a fine line between being a terrific naturalizer and being invasive.) Since it’s not tremendously hardy, you may want to apply no more than a 2" layer of mulch after the surface of the ground freezes to protect it from winter temperature spiking in the event of inconsistent snow coverage. You’ll need about nine bulbs per square foot. (Square footage is determined multiplying the planting site’s length times its width.) Bulb size: 6 cm/up. Full to partial sunlight. Bloom time in horticultural zone 5: April/May. Plant 4" to 6" deep and 4" to 6" apart. HZ: 5-8. Height: 8".

Ornithogalum is The Art & Soul of Spring™.

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