Star of Bethlehem Plant Profile

Star of Bethlehem is a member of the asparagus family. Star of Bethlehem is not among the earliest bloomers instead giving you a plant that will flower later in spring. This plant is easy to grow and is even invasive in some areas.

How to Grow Star of Bethlehem
Choose a location with a fertile loam that drains sharply, preferably in full sun. Plant the bulbs of Star of Bethlehem in fall. At planting time, install the bulbs in holes four inches deep and four inches apart. The pointy end of each bulb should be facing up. Fill the holes back in with soil and water. Add a three-inch layer of mulch for wintertime protection if Star of Bethlehem is only borderline-hardy in your area. Remove the mulch when the ground thaws in spring and the plants start to emerge.

The plants will come up the following spring. After flowering is over, you will be left with a mass of tangled, strap-like leaves for a while (its grass-like foliage is never really attractive). Resist the temptation to remove this foliage: As long as it stays green, it is sending nutrients down to its bulbs.

The bulbs will multiply over time, producing what are termed “offsets” or “bulbils.” You can dig up these offsets and plant them somewhere else to increase your crop of Star of Bethlehem.

If you choose to leave you Star of Bethlehem alone, it will naturalize and spread on its own, too. It spreads both through its offsets and by seeding. This is one of the reasons why the plant is so easy to grow, but it also accounts for why Star of Bethlehem is often considered a problematic plant: Star of Bethlehem is invasive in some regions.

Because of its potential invasiveness, before you plant Star of Bethlehem, check with your county extension agent to learn if it is invasive in your region. Another drawback with Star of Bethlehem is that it goes dormant by mid-summer, leaving gaps in your planting bed. Different gardeners address these drawbacks in different ways.

To curb the plant’s spreading, some deadhead the flowers so that seed is not produced and/or erect barriers as you would to stop the spread of a bamboo. To plug the gaps that its disappearance leaves behind in summer, some plan on having annuals on hand to install, while others prefer to grow perennials next to their Star of Bethlehem that will fill in as summer progresses and hide the spots vacated by Star of Bethlehem.

Light
Although it will grow in partial shade, Star of Bethlehem flowers better in full sun.

Soil
Perhaps the most important requirement in growing Star of Bethlehem is a soil that drains well. This is typical of plants of a Mediterranean origin.

Water
Be sure to give Star of Bethlehem sufficient water when it is young. Once established, it becomes somewhat drought-tolerant.

Fertilizer
Star of Bethlehem flowers best when grown in fertile ground. Fertilize with compost annually.

Information Courtesy of TheSpruce.com