Star Of Bethlehem
By Joyce Corson
Guest Columnist
SYRACUSE — This perennial bulb, associated with the birth of Jesus, blooms here in Northern Indiana in April. Being fascinated by paintings of Vincent Van Gogh prompted me to search some history about the star. Also, why is Jesus’ birthday celebrated when astrologists find the bright star in December?
Also known as garden or common star of Bethlehem, grass lily, nap-at-noon, eleven-o’clock lady, star of Bethlehem (ornithogalum umbellatum) is a herbaceous perennial bulb, a plant that invades disturbed areas, meadows, cemetery prairies and sunny to semi-shaded banks of streams and displaces native species. Why is this “star” invading high-quality natural habitats? Basically, because it can.
Star of Bethlehem is native to most of southern and central Europe, northwestern Africa and southwestern Asia and was first introduced into the U.S. as an ornamental plant. This species has been reported escaping into natural areas in all 92 counties of Indiana. But I like it anywhere it appears.
If you have a potted spider plant (or airplane plant, chlorophytum compose), take a look at its flowers — They are very similar! It’s in the same family.
My curiosity can’t wait! When will I see some here? There are the weed wrangles that rip them out by handsful here in Northern Indiana, only to find small grayish bulbs growing closely together. Further, some say they crowd out native species, and I do love native species. My first sightings came in a newly created hosta bed several years ago.
My first impulse was to get rid of them, but I decided to toss them in an empty Campbell soup can. I never gave it another thought, as I was just ready to finish grooming my hostas.
I forgot about them until I found them the next season flowering close to April, growing and blooming into a beautiful bouquet of white flowers. They have appeared since in other areas of wildflowers as well.
If the bulbs live long in the right earth temperatures, a large bulb may grow and may make a very tall spectacle in holiday flowering arrangements from Christmas from bulbs shipped in from warm climates.