Ornithogalum umbellatum L.
Star of Bethlehem| Category |
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| Forb/Herb |
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Similar Species May be confused with the following native and/or non-native species. Landscape Alternatives lists native horticultural substitutes |
Allium and Nothoscordum spp. |
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Description
Height
Star-of-Bethlehem grows up to 3 feet (1 m).Stem
From the center of the rosette, there develops one or more flowering stalks about 6-9 inches tall. Each stalk terminates in a cyme-like raceme of white flowers. This raceme is rather short and spreading. The lower pedicels are 1-3" long, while the upper pedicels are somewhat shorter. Both the basal leaves and flowering stalks are hairless.Leaves
The linear leaves are about 6-12 in long and 0.25 in across. They curve upward from the base and bend downward around the middle. There is often a white stripe in the middle of each leaf, which has smooth margins and parallel venation.Flowers
Each flower is about 1 inch across when fully open, consisting of 6 white tepals, 6 stamens, and a single pistil. Each tepal is lanceolate-oblong, and there is a green stripe along its outer side. Stamens have yellow or light brown anthers at the apex and a white filament underneath. This filament is lanceolate or narrowly triangular in shape (tapering at the top), which is a distinctive characteristic for this species. The blooming period occurs during the late spring and lasts about two weeks.Fruit
Each flower is replaced by a 3-celled seed capsule containing several black seeds.Images
Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.orgMore images of Ornithogalum umbellatum
Life History
Star-of-Bethlehem, also known as Sleepydick, is a perennial plant that grows to 3 feet. (1 m) tall and is a member of the Liliaceae Family. Flowering lasts for approximately 2 weeks in late spring. The root system consists of a bulb about 1 inch long that is ovoid. This plant reproduces by its seeds and vegetative offsets (primarily the latter). It often forms dense colonies that can exclude other species during the spring. The foliage and bulbs contain toxic alkaloids that can poison livestock. The cooked bulbs are reportedly edible to humans, although suitable caution should be exercised.Other members of the Lily family that are somewhat similar in appearance include the Allium spp. (Onions) and Nothoscordum bivalve (False Garlic). However, False Garlic and the various species of Onions have umbels of flowers and the filaments of their flowers are thread-like. Another cultivated plant, Ornithogalum nutans(Nodding Star-of-Bethlehem), rarely escapes into the wild. It has nodding flowers on elongated racemes and each of its filaments have a pair of small teeth at the apex. The pedicels of this latter species are usually a half inch (1.27cm) or less. The key features of Star-of-Bethlehem include the spreading racemes of erect flowers, and the triangular or lanceolate filaments underneath the anthers. These filaments are erect and surround the pistil. It is a surprisingly aggressive little plant with attractive flowers.
Habitat
Habitats include cemetery prairies, grassy meadows, sunny or semi-shaded banks of streams and drainage ditches, and miscellaneous waste areas.Origin and Distribution
The Star-of-Bethlehem is native to eastern Europe and parts of the Middle East and was introduced into the United States as an ornamental plant. It is often cultivated in flowerbeds, from which it occasionally escapes. This species is usually found in degraded sites, although it can invade high quality natural habitats and displace native species of plants that bloom during the spring. Other States Where Invasive: AL, AR, CA, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV. Federal or State Listed as Noxious Weed, Prohibited, Invasive, or Banned: AL, CTSources
Assorted authors. State noxious weed lists for 46 states. State agriculture or natural resource departments.Haragan, P.D. 1991. Weeds of Kentucky and Adjacent States: A Field Guide. The University Press of Kentucky. Lexington, Kentucky.
Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council. 1996. Invasive exotic pest plants in Tennessee (October 1999). Research Committee of the Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council.