Integrated Pest Management
Star of Bethlehem
Ornithogalum umbellatum
Description
- plant with long, slender, smooth, fleshy, hollow, dark green leaves; leaves resemble chives
- produces white bulbs buried deep in the soil profile
- flower stalks are 6 – 9 inches tall, leafless and smooth
- delicate white flowers are star shaped with six petals and yellow/green centers; blooms measure 1 inch in diameter; petals are oval-shaped with pointed tips; petal undersides have a wide green stripe running down the middle
Location
- commonly grows in lawn areas and planting beds
Life Cycle
- a bulb-forming perennial with leaves that emerge by mid-spring and flower production by late spring
- blooms last about 2 weeks; flowers open on sunny mornings and close by sunset
- after seedset, foliage dies back to the bulb by mid-summer
IPM Recommendations
- Carefully dig out and remove bulbs and bulblets from planting beds.
- Apply an appropriate post-emergent herbicide directly to target weeds.
- Apply herbicide to foliage in early spring when temperatures are at least 50°F and again in the fall for at least 2 consecutive years.