star of bethlehem

Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum). Photo: Betty Marose

Updated: March 3, 2023

Life cycle: bulbous perennial; frequently sold as a spring-flowering bulb (buyer beware!)

Growth habit: grows in tufts in lawn or beds

Reproduction: new bulbs are generated each year

Conditions that favor growth: escaped cultivation to become a weed of turfgrass, often in and around old flower gardens; less common along roadsides and waste areas

Cultural control: dig out and dispose of bulbs (bulblets), which is best done when the soil is moist; do not compost

Newly emerging star of Bethlehem (February-March)

Star of Bethlehem bulbs are deep in the soil. Try to remove the entire bulb.

Star of Bethlehem foliage
Photo: Richard Gardner, Bugwood.org

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