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Native Plant Alternatives to Ornithogalum nutans (Drooping Star of Bethlehem)

Native Plants, Invasive Plants, Ornithogalum nutans, Dropping Star of Bethlehem, Nodding Star of Bethlehem, Silver Bells

Ornithogalum nutans, also known as drooping star-of-Bethlehem, is considered invasive in some areas. Native to Europe and the Middle East, it has been introduced to North America where it can become invasive in some areas.

Ornithogalum nutans is a perennial bulbous plant with attractive, drooping, bell-shaped white flowers, which makes it appealing for ornamental use in gardens. However, it’s able to spread aggressively by both seeds and bulb offsets, quickly forming dense colonies that can displace native plants.

This plant can be particularly problematic in natural areas such as woodlands, where it may outcompete native spring-flowering plants. Its seeds are dispersed by ants, and it can survive in a range of conditions, making it difficult to control.

Drooping Star of Bethlehem is listed in the Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States.

According to the U.S Forest Service, Invasive species have contributed to the decline of 42% of U.S. endangered and threatened species and 18% of U.S. endangered or threatened species. Invasive species compete directly with native species for moisture, sunlight, nutrients, and space. They displace and alter native plant communities, degrade wildlife habitat and water quality, and potentially lead to increased soil erosion.

The federal government has estimated that nearly 25 percent of the 20,000 plant species native to North America are at risk of extinction, many of these through habitat loss. You can help reverse this trend by planting great native plants in your garden.

A plant is considered native if it occurs naturally in a particular region or ecosystem without human introduction. There are many benefits to growing native plants. First, these plants are better adapted to soils, moisture, and weather than exotic plants that evolved in other parts of the world. They need fewer fertilizers and pesticides or use less water. Second, they are unlikely to escape and become invasive, destroying natural habitats. Third, they support wildlife, providing shelter and food for native birds and insects, while exotic plants do not.

Guide Information

Hardiness 6 - 10
Heat Zones 5 - 9
Plant Type Bulbs, Perennials
Genus Ornithogalum
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Mid, Late)
Native Plants United States

U.S. Native Plant Alternatives to Ornithogalum nutans (Drooping Star of Bethlehem)

Anemone parviflora (Small-Flowered Anemone)
Anemone quinquefolia (Wood Anemone)
Anemopsis californica (Yerba Mansa)
Arabis alpina subsp. caucasica (Mountain Rock Cress)
Calochortus nuttallii (Sego Lily)
Caltha leptosepala (Western Marsh Marigold)
Camassia scilloides (Wild Hyacinth)
Cardamine concatenata (Cutleaf Toothwort)
Claytonia lanceolata (Western Spring Beauty)
Claytonia virginica (Spring Beauty)
Clintonia uniflora (Queen Cup)
Cornus canadensis (Bunchberry)
Erythronium albidum (White Trout Lily)
Hepatica acutiloba (Sharp-Lobed Liverleaf)
Jeffersonia diphylla (Twinleaf)
Leptosiphon nuttallii ssp. nuttallii (Nuttall’s Linanthus)
Mertensia virginica (Virginian Bluebells)
Podophyllum peltatum (May Apple)
Sanguinaria canadensis (Bloodroot)
Sedum ternatum (Wild Stonecrop)
Thalictrum thalictroides (Rue Anemone)
Viola striata (Striped White Violet)
Zephyranthes drummondii (Evening Rain Lily)

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While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.

Guide Information

Hardiness 6 - 10
Heat Zones 5 - 9
Plant Type Bulbs, Perennials
Genus Ornithogalum
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Mid, Late)
Native Plants United States
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