Ornithogalum is a genus of plants that belongs to the family Hyacinthaceae. This genus has very many species but is practically unknown in cultivation except for the yellow and orange species of group A. The group C in particular has a number of striking species , small compact plants with rather large flowers, excellent for pot cultivation. The flowers of all have a silky texture that is very attractive.
From the cultivation point there are three distinct groups
A)The autumn-winter-spring growers from S. W. South Africa. They are mostly spring bloomers. They demand intense sunlight and rather frost free conditions. Dry summer dormant. Tender
B) The spring-summer-autumn growers from hot subtropical to tropical Africa, mostly late spring/summer bloomers. Most demand intense sunlight and frost free to hot conditions. Dry winter dormant. Tender
C) The autumn-winter-spring growers from the countries around the Mediterranean Sea, mostly spring bloomers. They demand sunlight and cool growing conditions and are hardy to very hardy.
Information furnished by Alberto Castillo in his 
Introduction to the Ornithogalum topic of the week discussion on the pbs list in December 2002.
J. Manning, P. Goldblatt & M.F. Fay in a "A revised generic synopsis of Hyacinthaceae in sub-Saharan Africa, including new combinations and the new tribe Pseudoprospereae", Edinburgh Journal of Botany 60(3): 533-568 (2004) the authors propose sinking Albuca, Dipcadi, Galtonia, Neopatersonia, and Pseudogaltonia into Ornithogalum. For the moment those plants can still be found on their old wiki pages along with their new Ornithogalum names. Further study makes it unclear whether all these proposed changes will be accepted.
Ornithogalum acutum see Albuca acuminata
Orithogalum apertum see Southern African Ornithogalum
Ornithogalum arabicum From Group C.- Growing outside in Riverside, CA. Photo by Jennifer Hildebrand.
Ornithogalum canadense, see Albuca canadensis
Ornithogalum candicans see Galtonia candicans
Ornithogalum circinatum , see Albuca spiralis
Ornithogalum clavatum , see Pseudogaltonia clavata
Ornithogalum concordianum see Southern African Ornithogalum
Ornithogalum constrictum see Southern African Ornithogalum
Ornithogalum dubium see Southern African Ornithogalum
Ornithogalum fimbriatum is a small species native to the Balkans and Turkey, named for its hairy leaves. It flowers just at ground level in late winter, and often produces a second flowering on taller stems later in the spring. It increases very slowly. Photo by Jane McGary
Ornithogalum flaccidum see Albuca flaccida
Ornithogalum graminifolium see Southern African Ornithogalum
Ornithogalum hispidum see Southern African Ornithogalum
Ornithogalum hybrids see Southern African Ornithogalum hybrids
Ornithogalum longipes see Albuca longipes
Ornithogalum maculatum see Southern African Ornithogalum
Ornithogalum magnum may well be the species to cause you to reconsider the place of the members of this genus in the garden. It's well named: the scapes can easily go up to three feet high, and with the high bud count the plant remains in bloom for weeks. From a distance it looks like an Asphodelus or a gigantic Habenaria/Platanthera. The photograph was made May 29, 2006 in the zone 7 Montgomery County, Maryland, USA garden of Jim McKenney.
Ornithogalum maximum see Albuca canadensis
Ornithogalum montanum is a Mediterranean species dwelling in arid and stony grassland, superficially similar to O.umbellatum. It differs in the wide leaves, which lay to the ground, without any silver median stripe. The plant is solitary (no suckering) although the photo shows a clump of several plants grown together. The first photo was taken in habitat by Angelo Porcelli and the last two pictures of the flowers were taken by Mary Sue Ittner
Ornithogalum multifolium see Southern African Ornithogalum
Ornithogalum namaquense see Albuca
Ornithogalum nutans is native to southeastern Europe and the Near East. It is widely naturalized in eastern North America. The plants shown here were photographed on April 18, 2008 in Turkey Run Park along the Potomac River in northern Virginia, USA by Jim McKenney.
Ornithogalum pruinosum see Southern African Ornithogalum
Ornithogalum reverchonii is native to southwestern Spain and Morocco, growing in crevices in limestone, but it does not require lime in cultivation, as evident in the photographed plants, which were grown from seed and are kept in a bulb frame in Oregon in mildly acid gritty soil. They flower in late spring and are particularly elegant with their pure white pendent flowers on tall stems. The leaves are long and lax. Photo by Jane McGary
Ornithogalum sandersiae see Southern African Ornithogalum
Ornithogalum secundum see Southern African Ornithogalum
Ornithogalum suaveolens see Southern African Ornithogalum
Ornithogalum shawii see Albuca shawii
Ornithogalum serotinum see Dipcadi serotinum
Ornithogalum setosum seeAlbuca setosa
Ornithogalum sintenisii is typical of the larger short-stemmed ornithogalums of the Mediterranean region, and is available commercially. It is hardy to at least 20 degrees F. Photo by Jane McGary
Ornithogalum thyrsoides see Southern African Ornithogalum
Ornithogalum umbellatum is a charming species spread all over the Mediterranean basin.
Photo taken in habitat in Apulia by Angelo Porcelli
Ornithogalum xanthochlorum see Southern African Ornithogalum
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