Seasonal Wild Flowers

Drooping Star-of-bethlehem

Ornithogalum nutans

Asparagaceae

April to May

It occurs mainly in East Anglia, the Midlands and the

South, rarely elsewhere.

See the BSBI distribution map for Drooping Star-of

It is a garden escape, which has become naturalised

in grassy places, hedge banks, scrub, open woods,

churchyards and by roads

It is a neophyte which was introduced and grown in

gardens in the UK in the 1640s, and recorded in the

wild in the 1820s.

Naturalised populations tend not to last for long,

although some have persisted for over 90 years.

Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem is a bulbous perennial

herb, growing up to 60cm.

The flowers are in spike on a stalk.

They are up to 40mm across, dull white and the

back of the 6 petals have a dull-green stripe.

The 6 stamens are shorter than the flower and the

bracts are thin, lanceolate, papery and white.

The capsules are ovoid with 6 grooves.

Leaves are linear with a central white stripe

(not shown).

Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem, Malham

Style, anthers and bug

Style, stigma and anthers

Dull green petal stripes, papery bracts

6-grooved capsule