Ornithogalum Bungei

Bunge's star-of-Bethlehem is a hardy Eurasian bulb producing a basal clump of strap-like leaves and spring stems lined with clean white, star-shaped flowers. Each tepal carries a green stripe on the reverse, a characteristic feature that becomes especially visible as the flowers close in dull light or towards evening. Named for the nineteenth-century botanist Alexander von Bunge, the species is an attractive subject for a sunny bulb bed or alpine collection. Cool winter growth, sharp drainage and a warm dry summer rest reproduce its natural seasonal rhythm.