# 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. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Illustration_Ornithogalum_nutans0.jpg&width=800) Photo: Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Illustration_Ornithogalum_nutans0.jpg) ## 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Asparagales - **Family:** Asparagaceae - **Genus:** Ornithogalum ## 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 - **Underground Powerhouse:** Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem has a bulb that stores energy, helping it survive cold winters and bloom early. - **Nodding Protector:** This plant's drooping flowers shield its pollen and nectar from rain and harsh weather, keeping them safe for pollinators. - **Rapid Spreader:** 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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-vole) (*Microtus arvalis*) — May dig up and eat its bulbs. - **Eats:** [Garden snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — Nibbles on leaves and petals. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Cluster Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cluster-flower): Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/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? No ### Is Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem toxic? Moderate ### What is Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Grand Caverns](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/grand-caverns) — Virginia, US · Natural Landmark - [Barockgarten (Schleswig)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/baroque-garden-schleswig) — Schleswig-Holstein, DE · Park - [Schlossgarten Eutin](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/eutin-castle-garden) — Schleswig-Holstein, DE · Park - [Schloßgarten (Kiel)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/schlossgarten-kiel) — Schleswig-Holstein, DE · Park [View all places to see Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/drooping-star-of-bethlehem) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/drooping-star-of-bethlehem)