librarian2003 (librarian2003) wrote in weagardening, @ 2009-06-22 20:24:00 |
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Current mood: | creative |
Entry tags: | ornithogalum, plant, week |
Week 7 - Plant of the Week - Ornithogalum
Our plant of the week this week is another member of the Hyacinth family, the Ornithogalum genus, which isn't cultivated as often as it should be.
Here are the images:
Ornithogalum
And here's the handout:
GARDENING FOR PLEASURE
Plant of the Week
Ornithogalum : Star of Bethlehem
Family : Hyacinthaceae
Ornithogalum is a genus of about 80 species of bulbs that is often unfamiliar in cultivation. The flowers of all have a silky texture that is very attractive. The Greeks referred to something incredible as being “bird’s milk”, ornithos (bird) and gala (milk), hence the derivation. They come from Europe, Africa and Asia, and two of the species are native wildflowers in the UK.
From the cultivation point there are three distinct groups:
• The autumn-winter-spring growers from S. W. South Africa. They are mostly spring bloomers. They demand intense sunlight and rather frost free conditions. Dry summer dormant. Tender
• The spring-summer-autumn growers from hot subtropical to tropical Africa, mostly late spring/summer bloomers. Most demand intense sunlight and frost free to hot conditions. Dry winter dormant. Tender
• The autumn-winter-spring growers from the countries around the Mediterranean Sea, mostly spring bloomers. They demand sunlight and cool growing conditions and are hardy to very hardy.
Smaller species are suitable for the rock garden, taller ones for the border. All can be grown in containers.
Bulbs should be planted 4 inches deep. The fully hardy and frost hardy species can be planted in autumn, in fertile, well-drained soil in a sunny spot, although O. nutans, O. umbellatum and O. pyrenaicum tolerate partial shade. Plant half hardy species in spring for summer flowering; in growth, water freely and lift after flowering. Under glass, grow tender species in large containers in JI No 2, in full light with shade from the hottest sun. Water freely in growth, keep dry when dormant and repot annually in spring.
Ornithogalum make excellent, long-lasting cut flowers. The half hardy chincherinchee, often used for cutting, can be planted under glass in autumn for flowering in spring and summer.
Ornithogalum can be propagated by seed in containers in autumn or spring, or remove offsets when dormant. They are free of pests and diseases. Many of them contain toxins.
There is no National Collection.
Some species to consider
Ornithogalum arabicum – 12-32 inches, flowers early summer, scented, white or cream with black ovary. Half hardy. Mediterranean
Ornithogalum balansae (syn oligophyllum) – 3 inches. Flowers early spring, white inside, glossy green outside. Hardy. Balkans, Turkey, Georgia
Ornithogalum dubium AGM – To 12 inches. Ornithogalum dubium is a long-blooming plant with large flowers, yellow to orange or rarely white, often with a green or brown centre. This species is found on mountains and flats over a broad area in the Cape Province of South Africa. It usually has one flowering stem, but may have as many as nine. However, it can be difficult to get into growth. The bulb is healthy, but simply remains dormant. Evidence suggests that storage during dormancy at 22-25°C promotes flowering, although longer stems are obtained if the bulb is subsequently grown at lower tenmperatures. Tender – min 5°C
Ornithogalum longibracteatum (False sea onion) – 3-5ft. Up to 300 small white flowers, striped green outside. Frost hardy. Tropical Africa, South Africa.
Ornithogalum magnum – 24-36 inches, Flowers in June, for weeks, spires of white flowers. Good contrast to later flowering alliums. Hardy, but suits dry, light soils. Caucasus
Ornithogalum narbonense – 12-36 inches. Pyramidal spikes of white flowers in late spring and early summer. Hardy. Mediterranean, Caucasus, Turkey, Iran.
Ornithogalum nutans AGM – 8-24 inches, Flowers in spring, a spike of white, semi-pendent flowers broadly striped green outside. Hardy. Europe, SW Asia.
Ornithogalum pyramidale – 12-48 inches. Flowers in spring and early summer, stiff spikes of star-shaped white flowers, striped green outside. C. Europe, Balkans.
Ornithogalum pyrenaicum (Bath asparagus) – to 3ft. Flowers in early summer, spikes of small pale yellow flowers. Hardy. Europe, Turkey, Caucasus. Native wild flower. The flowering stems can be eaten as asparagus before the buds open, and it’s speculated that it might have been introduced by the Romans.
Ornithogalum reverchonii – To 18 inches. Spikes of crystalline white flowers with cut petals, in late spring. Hardy. Spain (Andalucia) and Morocco.
Ornithogalum sintenisii – 4 inches. Flowers in spring, white flowers striped green outside. Hardy. Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran.
Ornithogalum thyrsoides AGM (Chincherinchee) – 28 inches. Flowers in spring and early summer, with dense racemes of white flowers, tinted green or cream at the bases. Tender – min 5°C. South Africa (Western Cape). Often used in the florist trade, and its name, from the word tjenkenrientjee is reputed to imitate the sound of the southerly winds blowing through the bushes of its homeland
Ornithogalum umbellatum (Star of Bethlehem) – 4-12 inches. Flowers in early summer, star-shaped white flowers striped green outside. Hardy. Europe, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, N. Africa. Native wildflower.
Jo Hanslip
June 2009
Suppliers
http://www.cgf.net/
Cotswold Garden Flowers,Sands Lane, Badsey, Worcestershire, WR11 7EZ.
http://www.thebotanicalnursery.com/
Auchgourish Botanic Garden, by Boat of Garten, Inverness-shire, PH24 3BY
http://www.avonbulbs.co.uk/
Avon Bulbs, South Petherton, Somerset, TA13 5HE
http://www.norwellnurseries.co.uk/
Norwell Nurseries, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG23 6JX
http://www.beechesnursery.co.uk/
Beeches Nursery, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB10 2HB
Photographs
There are some wonderful photographs, from whole plants to microscopic parts, at:
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/ind
Instead of typing all that in, I’ve made a tinyurl link. Use:
http://tinyurl.com/2u79n5
Jo