Ornithogalum

[Oron Peri]

I grow a few species from this genera of which I find to be very rewarding,
they bloom over a long period, the first species to flower is O. montanum, [widespred in most of the East Mediterranean], starting in late November to finish with O. fuscescens and O. pyrenaicum in Mid May.
They all are easy to grow and make excellent plants to grow in pots.

[David Nicholson]

Lovely Oron, I really must try some.

[Maggi Young]

We were lucky enough to be given a super selection by one Tony W....  thanks, Tony...... so if they grow well up here, David, you could be in luck to try a few in a year or two!

[David Nicholson]

Ohhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!

[Ezeiza]

Hi Oron:

            Most Eurasian Ornithogalums are a lot less popular than their beauty merits. Their shiny white flowers have a grace and a form that makes them superb pot plants, as you say. They flower over a reasonably long period and a number of species are first class.

           I never understood why they were a second row bulb in books.

Regards
Alberto
Argentina

[Oron Peri]

Alberto,

Off course you don't have to convince me... I agree with you a 100%,
I have been collecting Ornithogalum regularly from all the Mediterranean Basin.

I suppose their turn will arrive one day, the way i see it, it has been always a matter of being  'in Fashion',
First Tulips, then Hyacinthus, Daffodils, Cyclamen, at the moment no doubt it is Crocus and Galanthus
so they might become more popular one day.
Maybe it is  the lack of color variation that makes them a little boring...

Any way people like us can only make it some P.R..

Another genus which doesn't receive enough attention [in my opinion] is Romulea, a stunning group of plants, which I will post photos in early spring.

Attached another beautiful species just to prove what we say...

[Janis Ruksans]

Alberto,

Off course you don't have to convince me... I agree with you a 100%,
I have been collecting Ornithogalum regularly from all the Mediterranean Basin.

I suppose their turn will arrive one day, the way i see it, it was always a matter of being  'in Fashion',
First Tulips, then Hyacinthus, Daffodils, Cyclamen, at the moment no doubt it is Crocus and Galanthus
so they might become more popular one day.
Maybe it is  the lack of color variation that makes them a little boring...

Any way people like us can only make it some P.R..

Another genus which doesn't receive enough attention [in my opinion] is Romulea, a stunning group of plants, which I will post photos in early spring.

Attached another beautiful species just to prove what we say...

Yours O. tricophyllum is marvellous. I never had it (although I have quite great number of Ornithogalums in my collection - more than 110 samples) and possibly for our conditions it will not be growable. In any case would like to try...
Janis

[gote]

This one is perfectly hardy in mid-Sweden. It came originally from turkey halfway between Antalya and Isparta.
It grows very flat something I interpret as adaption to grazing animals. Even if the colour is not spectacular I find it very charming since it is so early.
I agree that Ornithogalums are overlooked.
By the way, Can anyone identify it for me?
Göte

[Tony Willis]

Oron that is a very nice plant. There are some very nice species in Turkey which rival many other bulbs for beauty.

David I disposed of mine in August through 'bulbs wanted'. I find my
light levels are poor when they flower and they get out of character so they were not for me.

[Maggi Young]

I disposed of mine in August through 'bulbs wanted'. I find my
light levels are poor when they flower and they get out of character so they were not for me.

Which most likely means that we will struggle to keep them in character up here... but we will enjoy the opportunity to try them, anyway! 

[Tony Willis]

Maggi I did not mean to put you of,I may just be poor at growing them,like so many other things.
Maybe to many plants and not enough attention to detail,always blame the weather its easiest!

[Maggi Young]

I understand, Tony... but the fact is that we often struggle with low light levels here too.... which is why we have 3 inch (7cm) narcissus that flower at 8 or 9 inches (20-22 cmc) !!
Has to worth a try to see how we get on though..... and there is always the chance that oner of these years we'll actually wash the greenhouse windows... that might help! 

[Oron Peri]

This one is perfectly hardy in mid-Sweden. It came originally from turkey halfway between Antalya and Isparta.
It grows very flat something I interpret as adaption to grazing animals. Even if the colour is not spectacular I find it very charming since it is so early.
I agree that Ornithogalums are overlooked.
By the way, Can anyone identify it for me?
Göte

Gote,

Your Ornithogalum is O. lanceolatum, it is easy to recognize by its form [flat lanceolate leaves and very short pedical], it is a common species in the E. Mediterranean, as you say, it is Hardy.
Usually it grows in places that receive snow regularly [above 700m].
Attached a photo I took in the Golan Heights

[fermi de Sousa]

Great pics, Oron and Göte,
another genus I'm fond of, though I can hardly claim to have an extensive collection. Fortunately someone has done the WRAs (weed risk assessments) for a lot of species and many are allowed into Australia.
Its fascinating that the genus occurs in Southern Africa as well as in the Mediterranean as does Romulea.
cheers
fermi

[Thomas Huber]

Maybe it is  the lack of color variation that makes them a little boring...

Oron, this can't be the reason - think of Galanthus, these "boring-just-white-flowers"!   

Maggi, if there is tooo much protest against my posting, better delete it before my life is in danger