One of the plants that has become very fashionable is the Ornithogalum dubium, a bulbous plant native to South Africa characterized by its orange flowers. It's very easy to care for and resistant to almost anything. Ideal for decorating your garden, but also for indoors.
However, before you go ahead and buy one, you should know everything you need to ensure your Ornithogalum dubium lasts for years. Want to know how? Check out this guide we've prepared for you.
Plant characteristics
As we mentioned before, Ornithogalum dubium is a plant endemic to South Africa, specifically the Cape Province. Other names it is known by include orange star of Bethlehem, orange star, or orange milkstern.
Physically it is not a large plant. In reality, Its height is usually between 15 and 50 centimetersIt has three to eight basal leaves that are yellowish-green and have ciliated edges. Flowering occurs from July to September in its natural habitat, and from January to spring in cultivation. It will produce flowers in clusters of five to twenty-five. These are orange, red, yellow, or, if you're lucky, white. The center is green or brown.
You should keep in mind that this plant is toxic. In fact, all parts of the plant are. So, if your pets or babies ingest it or touch it too much, they could suffer irritation or more serious problems.
Ornithogalum dubium care
Now that you have a better idea of ​​what Ornithogalum dubium looks like and where it comes from, the next step is to have a basic guide with all the plant's care instructions. And here it is so you don't miss a thing.
Lighting and temperature
When you buy an Ornithogalum dubium, or receive one as a gift, you should know that you can place it both indoors and outdoors.
If you are going to put it inside, make sure it is near a window to provide as much natural light as possible. A little expert trick is to orient it to the south or west. Why? Because those orientations favor flowering.
If, on the other hand, you're going to plant it outside, choose an area in your garden that gets plenty of sun but is protected from the wind. Generally, it needs at least six hours of direct sunlight to bloom.
Regarding temperature, the Ornithogalum dubium It develops much better if it is between 15 and 25ºC. In fact, when the temperature drops below 10°C, it can suffer quite a bit. That's why in winter it's best to bring it indoors, or if you have it outside, cover it so that the low temperatures don't damage it.
Substratum
When the Ornithogalum dubium is indoors, it means it is in a pot. The soil you should use for it must be a universal soil mix with perlite or coarse sand to ensure it drains well.
If the bulbs are planted in your garden, before planting them, try adding soil and compost, along with drainage, to ensure they have a more suitable soil. For example, heavy or clay soils are not recommended.
Irrigation
Indoors, watering Ornithogalum dubium is a little more delicate because you'll not only have to monitor the plant's water needs, but also the humidity. Generally, water moderately during growth and flowering, but allow time for a slight drying period between waterings. During its dormant period, water sparingly (or very little).
El Outdoor watering will depend a little on the plant. You should also keep the soil moist, especially while it's growing. But once it flowers, and during cold weather, you should reduce it, sometimes to a minimum.
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Another aspect of your Ornithogalum dubium care plan is fertilization. Fertilizer should be applied during the growing season, as well as during flowering. We recommend using a liquid fertilizer for flowering plants.
Now, don't use the dose that the bottle tells you to, but a little less. Fertilize every two or three weeks. You can add it to the irrigation water.
Once flowering occurs, the plant will enter dormancy. You'll notice this because the leaves will wilt. It may even die off.
At that time and does not need fertilizer.
Plagues and diseases
Ornithogalum dubium is a fairly hardy plant if you take good care of it. But that doesn't mean it won't be affected by pests or diseases. For example, in the case of pests, you'll need to be careful with aphids, mites such as red spider mites, thrips and bulb flies.
For diseases, the bulb rot, as well as downy mildew or gray mold These are the most common. Of course, you should also be careful with excess humidity or poor ventilation, as this could make the plant sick. In fact, excess humidity will make it more susceptible to other diseases.
Ornithogalum dubium
Multiplication
Finally, there's propagation. As we mentioned before, Ornithogalum dubium is planted from bulbs. This plant reproduces by separating the daughter bulbs that develop around the main bulb.
How do you do this? You see, the first thing is to let the plant run its course. When it goes dormant, you can do two things: first, leave it in the pot and cover it for the next season. Second, remove it from the soil.
It is this second one that will allow you see if offspring have grown from the main bulbIf so, you can separate them, letting the scar dry before planting, and plant them separately in the garden or in pots.
There's no mystery to Ornithogalum dubium. You just have to try your luck and see if you can get this plant right. Have more questions? Leave them in the comments.