About Ornithogalum thyrsoides Jacq.
Ornithogalum thyrsoides Jacq. is a perennial plant that grows 29 to 50 cm (11 to 20 inches) tall and enters dormancy during winter. It produces around six fleshy leaves, which die after flowering. Each leaf measures 15 to 30 cm (5.9 to 11.8 inches) in length and 0.5 to 1.5 cm in width, with a lanceolate shape, smooth surface, and soft texture. Its flowers are arranged either in a compact raceme holding 30 to 50 blooms, or in a loose corymb holding 5 to 20 blooms. The flowers are bowl-shaped, and each is accompanied by green bracts that are roughly the same length as the flower pedicel. Flower colors range from white to creamy-white, with brown or green centers that fade as the flowers age. Flowering occurs from October to February, and the flowers are phototropic, meaning they turn toward the sun. After flowering, it produces spindle-shaped capsular fruit that holds black, shiny seeds of varying shapes. Ornithogalum thyrsoides has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit for garden use. It is cultivated in sheltered locations that receive full sun or partial shade. The plant goes dormant shortly after flowering in spring and early summer, and its dormant bulb cannot tolerate exposure to freezing temperatures.
