About Ornithogalum nutans L.
Ornithogalum nutans, commonly called drooping star-of-Bethlehem, is a flowering plant species belonging to the family Asparagaceae. It is native to Europe and South West Asia. This bulbous perennial grows 20 to 60 cm (8 to 24 in) tall and 5 cm (2 in) wide. It produces strap-shaped leaves and pendent grey-white flowers with green stripes, which bloom in spring. It is cultivated outside its native range and has become naturalized in areas including North America. It has become extremely invasive along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in Maryland. At least in North America, it is less common than the related species Ornithogalum umbellatum. The specific epithet nutans means 'nodding', which refers to the slightly drooping growth habit of its flowers. O. nutans is hardy in USDA Zones 6 to 10. It has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
