Silver Bells Bulb Planting - Ornithogalum Umbellatum

Ornithogalum angustifolium

Silver Bells accept a bad reputation because in that place are 2 or more, really similar, flowering bulbs. Some that tin overstep invasive inward our zone 7, form of temperate gardens; others are better-behaved.

Ornithogalum nutans &
 umbellatum side yesteryear side

Star of Bethlehem is a fellow member of the lily found family, Asparagaceae. It has received found of merit awards together with screams of invasive, depending on the writer.
As usual, purpose of the job is the lack of in-depth research. Ornithogalum nutans is from Asia together with tin overstep invasive. Ornithogalum umbellatum, from Europe, does not. Both are called Star of Bethlehem, Dove's Dung together with Silver Bells together with then depository fiscal establishment represent to travel certain you lot found the ane that suits your needs.

I ordered O. umbellatum from Old House Gardens Bulbs together with planted them inward a piddling topographic point that has non been cultivated before. The bed is contrary the vegetable garden though together with then nosotros are over in that place quite a flake from early on saltation cultivating through Jan when nosotros are harvesting Russian kale for the table.

Native to Europe, from the Mediterranean to Britain, O. umbellatum leaves are grass-like together with the eventing blooming flowers are white-cream together with green. They are deer together with rodent resistant. 

O umbellatum are cold-hardy to zone 5. The self-fertile hermaphrodite flowers bloom inward the saltation together with are pollinated yesteryear insects. The seeds ripen inward June-July. 

The bulbs are planted 4-6 inches deep together with apart. They similar solid set down that is on the dry out side or gravelly together with then don't mulch them. 


Although heavy rains launder my found tags to nearby locations during expert pelting years, I ever score them anyway. We work sometime mini-blinds (Tip from Sharon Owen, Moonshadow Herb Farm) that are easily cutting alongside pair of scissors together with impress adhesive labels alongside a $10 Brother label maker (Tip from Jerry Gustafson). 

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