Common Star-of-Bethlehem
Ornithogalum umbellatum
Also listed as Hyacinthus umbellatus, Ornithogalum stellare
Also known as Star of Bethlehem, Garden Star-of-bethlehem, Nap-at-noon
Climate Match for your location
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A spring-blooming bulb with delicate white star-shaped flowers striped with green on the reverse. It spreads readily and naturalizes well in lawns and meadows.
Why grow it
Star-of-Bethlehem offers reliable early spring color with minimal maintenance once established, making it useful for naturalizing in appropriate settings. Compared to other spring bulbs like grape hyacinth or scilla, it produces larger, more prominent flowers and spreads more vigorously, though this vigor requires careful site selection to prevent unwanted spread into sensitive areas.
Watch out for
This bulb can spread aggressively through both bulblets and self-seeding once established; containment may become necessary if planted near valued perennials or in smaller garden spaces. Deadheading spent flowers can help limit volunteer seedlings in the following season.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Asparagaceae
Native Range
Mediterranean and temperate Europe
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
A spring-blooming bulb with delicate white star-shaped flowers striped with green on the reverse. It spreads readily and naturalizes well in lawns and meadows.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Common Star-of-Bethlehem grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Star-of-Bethlehem offers reliable early spring color with minimal maintenance once established, making it useful for naturalizing in appropriate settings. Compared to other spring bulbs like grape hyacinth or scilla, it produces larger, more prominent flowers and spreads more vigorously, though this vigor requires careful site selection to prevent unwanted spread into sensitive areas.
Watch out for
This bulb can spread aggressively through both bulblets and self-seeding once established; containment may become necessary if planted near valued perennials or in smaller garden spaces. Deadheading spent flowers can help limit volunteer seedlings in the following season.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Asparagaceae
Native Range
Mediterranean and temperate Europe
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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