The orange star plant (Ornithogalum dubium), also called star of Bethlehem or sun star, is a flowering bulb plant native to South Africa. It's hardy in USDA zones 7 through 11 and produces stunning clusters of bright orange flowers.

How do you take care of a sun star flower?

Plant Care

1. Water: Keep planting mix moist.
2. Light: Place in bright indirect sun light indoors.
3. Continuing Care: Remove spent flower spikes at base.
4. Temperature: Performs well at a cooler indoor temperature.
5. Fertilizer: Use liquid fertilizer at half the label rate every other month.

Is a sun star plant annual or perennial?

Also commonly called star of Bethlehem or snake flower, sun star (Ornithogalum dubium) is a bulbous perennial member of the Lily family characterized by star-shaped blooms in shades of yellow, white and orange.

Is sun star plant an outdoor plant?

Gardeners in mild climates (hardiness zones 9 to 12, possibly 8) can try planting their sun star outdoors. It will do best in a Mediterranean climate, one with long dry summers and cool, rainier winters.

How often do you water a sun star plant?

Watering Sun Star

Sun star thrives in evenly moist soil but tolerates dry soil much better than wet. One inch of weekly water when it's actively growing is ideal.

How to Care for a Sun Star Flower

45 related questions found

Why is my Sun Star plant dying?

If the soil gets too dry the blooms can wilt and they may not recover. Check the soil moisture with your finger. If the top 2-4” (5-10cm) of soil is dry, or plants are wilted, it is time to water.

How do you deadhead a Sun Star plant?

Deadhead individual flowers as they fade. Once all the flowers have passed, remove the entire flowering spike from the main body of the plant. This may seem drastic, but the plant can handle it. Just don't cut back the foliage, continue to water it, and let it die back on its own.

Do Sun Star plants come back every year?

Apart from their beautiful flowers, their dark green leaves are also beautiful. The Orange Star plants can only grow up to 20 inches tall. They are grown from the bulb, once you have planted them, they will regrow again and again from these bulbs.

Are star flowers perennials?

The Spring Starflower is a bulbous perennial that grows up to 10" tall. This South American ground cover tolerates drought but should be kept moist during the growing season. In early spring, its bulb produces grass-like foliage and multiple flowering 6" stems with single white to violet-blue star flowers.

Can Star of Bethlehem be planted outside?

If you decide to plant Star of Bethlehem flower bulbs in your landscape, do it in fall. The plant is hardy in USDA Zone 3 with mulch and grows in Zones 4 to 8 without mulch. Plant Star of Bethlehem flower bulbs in a full to mostly sunny area of the landscape.

How do sun stars propagate?

You can propagate a new orange star easily by planting the offsets that grow profusely at the base of a mature plant. Lift a clump of offsets with a spade or garden fork when the foliage dies down in summer or autumn, then separate the clump into single bulbs.

How do I care for orchids?

Here are the main requirements for proper orchid care

Avoid over watering as this can lead to root rot. Position your orchid in a bright windowsill facing east or west. Weekly feeding with a fertilizer designed for orchids. Repotting in fresh orchid mix when your orchid stops blooming.

Is an orange star an indoor or outdoor plant?

It grows best indoors, but will survive in a sheltered outdoor spot in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10a to 11. "Orange Star" plant needs little care once established in a warm, bright location.

Do perennials come back every year?

Perennials are the backbone of any garden! While annuals provide quick color for the whole season, they live for only one year. Perennials come back for many years, so they're a great investment to get the most out of your garden budget.

Why is my orange star drooping?

The most common reason for orange star plant drooping is due to overwatering and the air circulation of orange star plant might have stopped which led to droopy or limp. Moist Soil doesn't mean you flood water on it , it means it should get water so that orange star doesn't gets dry.

Do star flowers spread?

Over time, the patches of starflower will naturalize and can become invasive in some regions. Divide clumps every few years for more dense colonies.

What does a star flower symbolize?

Named after the Greek word for "Star" due to it's blooms resembling a star, Asters symbolize love, wisdom, faith, and color. The Aster flower blooms in pink, red, white, lilac and mauve. This flower became a symbol of love when in Greek mythology it was placed on the altars for the gods.

How do you grow starflower?

Plant spring starflower in well-drained soil and full sun or part shade. Plant bulbs 2-3 inches deep and about 2 inches apart. The plants will go dormant in late spring.

What does a star flower look like?

The flowers may occur as a single bloom or sometimes 2 to 3 blooms on slender stalks 3/4 to 2 inches long. Flowers are snow white with 5 to 9 petals and approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter. ... Star flowers are pollinated by native bees.

How do you take care of a Star of Bethlehem plant?

Young Star of Bethlehem plants need regular watering to keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy. Mature plants have some tolerance for dry soil, but they still prefer a moderate amount of moisture. While the plant is actively growing in the spring and summer, water when the soil feels dry a couple inches down.

How do you take care of Earth Star plants?

Like many rainforest plants, Earth stars love soil that can maintain high moisture levels but don't like standing in water all the time. A regular potting soil with Sphagnum moss should be fine, though it's a good idea to also mix in some sand or perlite. Be sure to avoid anything that says “fast draining”!

Can you plant orange star plant outside?

It can grow outdoors year-round in USDA hardiness zones 7 to 11. In areas outside of the Southeast, the Orange Star is grown as a bulb plant or potted houseplant. It needs full sun, helping to bring out the bright orange colors of the flowers.

What does the star of Bethlehem flower mean?

Over the holidays, you may have seen the Star of Bethlehem in many Christmas floral arrangements. ... Its name alone signifies its meaning in regards to the holiday season. This flower is often used in religious ceremonies symbolizing innocence, purity, honesty, hope and forgiveness.

What does remove spent flower spikes at base mean?

David Beaulieu is a landscaping expert and plant photographer, with 20 years of experience. ... To "deadhead" plants means to remove their spent flowers. For many plants, removing the blooms after they have gone by promotes more flowering on them for that year than would occur without such plant care.