Wild and Weedy Wednesday: Star of Bethlehem

Regular readers may remember that a couple of years ago I started looking at the wild flowers and weeds (and what IS the difference?) that grow in and around my garden, and posting about them weekly through the spring and summer. Now I am moving into the third year of Wild and Weedy Wednesday posts and invite you to join me. I have already covered over forty specimens, so there may be fewer posts this year, but last week I discovered a plant that is either new to the garden or I simply missed last year.

Ornithogalum umbellatum, commonly known as Garden Star of Bethlehem or Grass Lily.

Wikipedia tells me it may also be called ‘nap-at-noon’ or ‘eleven o’clock lady’ which are references to it only opening late in the day or in bright sunlight.

It is in fact a native bulbous perennial that grows just below the soil, and its small offspring in the form of bulbils are then dispersed by ants – having sandy soil here we have billions of those!

I think this Star of Bethlehem really is a star and quite a beauty. I would certainly not call this a weed! It is growing in the middle of our meadow, which is untypical according to my wildflowers book, which says it prefers damp semi-shade. There are several clumps within a small radius, so I hope it will continue to feel at home here and spread. Although I also read that in parts of North America it is considered invasive!

Although not recommended for herbal medicine due to its toxicity, Star of Bethlehem is an ingredient in the Bach Flowers Rescue Remedy, for helping deal with and recover from trauma or shock.

Have you come across this plant? Do let me know if you see it growing in your part of the world!