Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem

Ornithogalum nutans

The Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem is a lovely flower with star-shaped white blooms that hang down. It often grows in grassy areas and can brighten up gardens with its cheerful appearance.

Habitat: Grasslands

Appearance

The Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem has delicate white, bell-shaped flowers with distinctive green stripes on the outside of each petal. Its flowers gracefully nod or 'droop' at the top of a slender stem, creating a unique visual difference from upright star-shaped relatives.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassLiliopsidaOrderAsparagalesFamilyAsparagaceaeGenusOrnithogalum

Photo from Wikimedia CommonsPublic domainView original ↗

Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem

Interesting facts

Despite its beauty, eating any part of this plant can make you feel unwell!

Its delicate flowers gently close up on cloudy days or when night falls!

The 'Star-of-Bethlehem' name comes from the star-like shape of its open flowers.

You might find it growing wild in old gardens where it escaped long ago!

Special abilities

Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem has a bulb that stores energy, helping it survive cold winters and bloom early.

This plant's drooping flowers shield its pollen and nectar from rain and harsh weather, keeping them safe for pollinators.

Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem can produce many small bulbs, called bulbils, to quickly spread and make more plants.

Measurements & details

Height: 20-60 cm
Spread: 10-25 cm
Flower Size: 2-3 cm
Bloom Season: Spring
Edible: No
Toxicity: Moderate
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Insect

Ecological connections

Pollinates

European honey bee

Apis mellifera

Visits flowers for nectar.

Pollinates

Buff-tailed bumblebee

Bombus terrestris

Forages on its early blooms.

Eats

Common vole

Microtus arvalis

May dig up and eat its bulbs.

Eats

Garden snail

Helix aspersa

Nibbles on leaves and petals.

Traits

Flowering

Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.

Cluster Flower

Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem.

Spring Blooming

Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.

Fragrant Flower

Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.

Grassland

Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.

Pollinator Magnet

Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

Plants

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Do not pick flowers without asking an adult first.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to identify Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

How tall is Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem?

20-60 cm

How wide does Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem spread?

10-25 cm

How big are the flowers on Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem?

2-3 cm

When does Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem bloom?

Spring

Is Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem edible?

Is Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem toxic?

Moderate

What is Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem's lifecycle?