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Ornithogalum umbellatum

Garden Star-of-Bethlehem · Nap-at-noon · Sleepy-dick · Star of Bethlehem

Family AsparagaceaeGenus Ornithogalum

White six-pointed star flowers with a green stripe on the back of each petal, opening among narrow grassy leaves.
FlowerMeneerke bloemCC BY-SA 3.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
Bulb, Ground Cover, Herbaceous PerennialExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Habit
bulbous geophytePlants of the World Online
Height
0.5-1 ft15-30 cmExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Spread
1-2 ft30-60 cmExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Flower
WhiteExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Blooms
Spring, SummerExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Native range
Albania, Austria, Baleares, Belgium, Bulgaria, Corse and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Hardiness zones
4-9Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Growing conditions

Sun
Full sun; Partial ShadeExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil
High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt)Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Moisture
Good Drainage, Moist, Occasionally DryExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension; Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • The flowers open late in the day and close at night or in cloudy weather, hence nap-at-noon and eleven-o'clock lady. Bird's milk is a literal translation of Ornithogalum. Wikipedia: Ornithogalum umbellatum

This source reports two treatments. Both are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around February 8, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Temperature: 40°F 4°C

Germination happens during step 1, in 56 days.

67% germination in 56 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Ornithogalum p. 183Public domain
Show the original text
Ornithogalum (Liliaceae). James Forrest reported that 0. umbellatum germ. 40(4/6 in 8th w) and 70(1/4 in 8th w)-40(1/4).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Ornithogalum p. 183. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around February 8, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    1/4 germinated in this phase.

Steps after step 1 run on after germination.

Germination happens during step 1, in 56 days.

25% germination in 56 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Ornithogalum p. 183Public domain
Show the original text
Ornithogalum (Liliaceae). James Forrest reported that 0. umbellatum germ. 40(4/6 in 8th w) and 70(1/4 in 8th w)-40(1/4).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Ornithogalum p. 183. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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