Greater Star of Bethlehem - Ornithogalum umbellatum



Scientific Name: Ornithogalum umbellatum.

English Name: Greater Star of Bethlehem.

French Name: La Belle-d'onze-heures, la Dame-d'onze-heures or l'Orthinogale en ombelle.

5 Key Characters:
  • 'petals' (technically perianth segments) 20 - 30 mm long.
  • fewer than 10 leaves per bulb.
  • leaves have a white stripe down the middle.
  • flowers in an umbel like spike, with the lower flowers having longer stalks that bring them up to the level of the upper flowers.
  • 'petals' white with a strong green stripe down the back.
Lookalikes: None.

Habitat: In grass, especially on roadsides.

Flowering Period: April-May-June.

Status: Fairly common.

Photographed by Loire Valley Nature:

Photographs numbered from left to right and top to bottom. 1 - 2 in our orchard, April. 3 on a roadside bank in Descartes, April.



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