Ornithogalum umbellatum is a small, discreet native bulbous plant that produces magnificent white star shaped flowers in spring.

The flowers, carried on a leafless flowering stem, are actually anywhere from 6 to 20 star-shaped white flowers with a green stripe on the outer surface of the tepals.

Their specificity and unique nature means that they open in sunlight, typically late in the morning (hence the 11 o’clock lady) , and close in the evening or during cloudy weather.

The fruits are oval, three-chambered capsules containing small, shiny black seeds that ripen in early summer.

The basal leaves are long and narrow, measuring up to 30 cm in length.

This is an incredible plant for drought tolerant, native gardens – it has evolved to deal with rain/drought/sun/shade and somehow manages to be exquisitely delicate.

👨‍🌾GARDENING TIPS👨‍🌾: Ornithogalum umbellatum

• • Full sun to light shade.
  • Well-drained, moderately fertile soil
  • Water moderately; requires dry conditions during its dormant summer period.
  • Very hardy in well-drained soil, this plant thrives with hot, dry summers and multiplies rapidly by producing numerous small bulbs.
  • It will gradually colonize sunny or partially shaded areas > make sure to divide the clumps if you don’t want too many of these ladies
  • Beware! : As beautiful as they are you, the bulbs and foliage contain toxic alkaloids that are poisonous to animals. Do not grow them in areas that tempt your dog or cat to take a sample bite of the leaves.
  • The flowers are excellent for small bouquets, and should be picked as soon as they open for the best effect.
  • Looks great with Stipa tenuifolia, Carex buchananii, Festuca glauca

Learn more about gardening with Eleven O’Clock Ladies:

• • ENG: Plant of the Week : Ornithogalum umbellatum
  • FR: Les Sauvages du Poitou

The Tales & The Botany: Ornithogalum umbellatum

Ornithogalum umbellatum belongs to the Asparagaceae family, although it was long classified among the Liliaceae.

The genus name comes from the Greek words ornis meaning a bird and gala meaning milk for the white flowers.

It occurs spontaneously throughout most of France, including Mediterranean regions, although it is locally rare.

It is a perennial bulbous geophyte: its oval bulb, buried in the soil, produces each spring a rosette of linear leaves followed by a flowering stem, while the above-ground growth disappears completely in summer.

In folklore, Ornithogalum umbellatum is associated with the Star of Bethlehem, which is where its English common name comes from.

It has even appeared in Renaissance artworks – here is one of Leonardo da Vinci’s sketches of the plant. Although it contains toxic compounds, it was sometimes used in folk medicine or in cooking after boiling in certain regional traditions.

Floral Morphology

The inflorescence is borne on a leafless flowering stem and consists of 6 to 20 star-shaped flowers arranged in an umbel.

Each flower measures about 3 to 4 cm in diameter and is composed of six white tepals marked with a fine green stripe on the outer surface.

The flowers open in bright sunlight, usually late in the morning, and close in the evening or during cloudy conditions.

This daily rhythm gives rise to its common name, “Eleven O’Clock Lady.”

The reproductive organs are centrally arranged, with prominent stamens surrounding a single pistil, facilitating pollination by insects.

Ecology

Ornithogalum umbellatum thrives in meadows, woodland margins, grasslands, embankments, and roadside habitats.

It prefers well-drained soils and tolerates both full sun and partial shade.

As a spring geophyte, it completes most of its life cycle before summer drought sets in, with above-ground parts dying back in summer.

The species spreads through both seed production and vegetative propagation via bulbils, allowing it to form naturalized colonies over time.

It provides an early-season nectar source for pollinating insects and plays a role in maintaining biodiversity in semi-natural and managed landscapes.

Other Names

Eleven O’Clock Lady

Star of Bethlehem

Origin

Central and Southern Europe, northwestern Africa, and Asia Minor