Star Of Bethlehem, Dove's Dung
Ornithogalum umbellatum
Family: Liliaceae
What it is like
Bloom Color: White. Main Bloom Time: Early summer, Late spring. Form: Upright or erect.
Ornithogalum umbellatum is a BULB growing to 0.3 m (1ft) by 0.2 m (0ft 8in) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5. It is in flower from April to May, and the seeds ripen from June to July. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 0.3
Where it is found
Grassy places in eastern England.
Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to the Mediterranean.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 3
Bulb - raw or cooked. The bulbs can be dried and ground into a powder. Whilst the bulbs are palatable and wholesome according to some reports, some caution is advised. See the notes above on toxicity. Flowers - baked in bread.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Medicine
Rating: 1
A homeopathic remedy is made from the bulbs. It is useful in the treatment of certain forms of cancer. The plant is used in Bach flower remedies - the keywords for prescribing it are 'After effect of shock, mental or physical'. It is also one of the five ingredients in the 'Rescue remedy'.
Bach: Plants used in the Bach flower remedies.
Other
Rating: 0
How it is grown
Landscape Uses:Border, Container, Woodland garden. An easily grown plant, succeeding in an ordinary garden soil. Tolerates partial shade. Hardy to about -20°c. The dormant bulbs are very hardy and will withstand soil temperatures down to at least -10°c. A very ornamental plant, but it can be invasive where conditions suit it. It can be naturalized in short turf or thin grass below shrubs, though this should not be mown from the time the bulbs start to grow until they have set seed and the leaves are dying down. Special Features:Not North American native, Invasive, Naturalizing, Suitable for cut flowers.
Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Sow the seed thinly and leave the seedlings undisturbed in the pots for their first dormancy, but apply liquid feed at intervals, especially in their second year of growth. Divide the bulbs at the end of their second year of growth, putting 2 - 3 bulbs in each pot. Grow them on for one more year and them plant them out into their permanent positions whilst they are dormant. The seed can also be sown in a cold frame in early spring. Division of offsets in September/October. The larger bulbs can be replanted immediately into their permanent positions. It is best to pot up the smaller bulbs and grow them on for a year before planting them out when dormant in late summer.
Best place to grow: Meadow; Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Bulb
Hardiness: 6-9
Growth: Fast
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
Skin contact with the bulb can cause dermatitis in sensitive people. The bulb contains alkaloids and is poisonous. Another report says that the bulb is poisonous to grazing animals.