Ornithogalum umbellatum L.
Star of Bethlehem, grass lily, nap-at-noon, eleven-o’clock lady, star-of-Bethlehem
When this lovely little plant popped up in the middle of my lawn, I carefully mowed around it three times. Then my nephew mowed the lawn. He didn’t get the memo! Oh well, maybe it’ll be back in the spring. Star of Bethlehem is native to southern and central Europe, northwestern Africa, and southwestern Asia. In North America it escaped cultivation and is now naturalized. In Maryland and Pennsylvania, it is reported to be invasive.
Plants: A perennial growing from bulbs, 6–12″ ⨉ 1–2′ (15–30 ⨉ 30–60 cm). Each bulb is ½–⅞ ⨉ ⅝–1¼″ (1.5–2.5 ⨉ 1.8–3.2 cm). Stems, technically scapes, are ⅜–1″ (1–3 cm) long.
Leaves: 6-10 narrow, linear, grasslike leaves, with a white line on the upper surface. Each leaf is up to 12 ⨉ ¼″ (30 cm ⨉ 8 mm)
Flowers: Each flower is a star ½–¾″ (1.3–1.9 cm) in diameter, with six petals, appearing in small groups (umbels). Flowers are striped green on the outside, appearing from April to May.
Fruits: Fruits are 3-sided. containing many black seeds. Seeds ripen from June to July.
Habitats: New forests, floodplain forests, and wet meadows, yards, or gardens.
Edibility: Bulbs can cause dermatitis in some people, and is said to be poisonous to people and to grazing animals.
Medical: Despite serious safety concerns, people take star of Bethlehem for congestive heart failure (CHF) (WebMD.com). Don’t do this!
Online References:
References:
Clemants, Steven; Gracie, Carol, Wildflowers in the Field and Forest, Oxford University Press, 2006, p. 370
5/6/2011 · Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center, Chester, Maryland · ≈ 11 × 7″ (27 × 18 cm) 
ID is uncertain 
5/26/2024 · McLaughlin Garden and Homestead, South Paris, Maine 
5/24/2024 · Monhegan Island, Maine 
5/27/2017 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm) 
5/27/2017 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 5″ (13 × 12 cm) 
5/15/1979 · Virginia · By Tim Chandler 
5/27/2017 · Tom and Susan’s, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm) 
5/15/1979 · Virginia · By Tim Chandler 
5/6/2011 · Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center, Chester, Maryland · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 14 cm) ID is uncertain 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Liliopsida | Monocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family |
| Subclass | Liliidae | Includes lilies, orchids, and many others |
| Order | Liliales | Includes lilies, tulips, trilliums, greenbriars, and others |
| Family | Liliaceae | Lilly family |
| Genus | Ornithogalum | From the Greek words ornis, “bird,” and gala, “milk” for the white flowers. |
| Species | umbellatum | Refers to the arrangement of the flowers which arise in a head from a central point, i.e. bearing an umbel |
Ornithogalum umbellatum description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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