On this wiki page we will list the Ornithogalum species that originate in southern Africa from A-N.
Southern African Ornithogalums from P-Z
Ornithogalum concordianum , syn. Orithogalum apertum , grows on stony flats from southern Namibia through the northwest Cape to the Karoo and the southeast Cape. It flowers August through September and is distinguished by corkscrew-coiled leaves. It has yellow flower with broad green keels. Photos taken September 2006 by Mary Sue Ittner near Calvinia.
Ornithogalum constrictum is found in clay soils in renosterveld. It has white flowers with greenish keels below and grows in both the winter rainfall, year round rainfall, and summer rainfall areas. It blooms November to February in the wild. Photo by Cameron McMaster taken in the Overberg.
Ornithogalum dubium is a long blooming plant with beautiful large flowers, yellow to orange or rarely white, often with a green or brown center. This species is found on mountains and flats over a broad area in the Cape Province of South Africa. Some of us have found it is difficult to get it to come up and bloom every year. Often only one or two of four bulbs I have appear. The bulbs still look healthy if you dump them out, but they don't always choose to grow. This year one has sent up 9 flowering stalks whereas usually there is only one. Flower time can be late winter until early spring. First two photos by Mary Sue Ittner of flowers in bud and opening. Last photo by Nhu Nguyen.
Most years it is possible to buy ornithogalums at garden centers that probably are Ornithogalum dubium or have it in their heritage. Last year I bought three that were just labeled white, yellow, and orange. They all bloomed for a long time. None of them chose to grow this year however. This yellow one was blooming at the same time as Triteleia laxa and Triteleia peduncularis pictured in the background and I found that a pleasing color combination. Photo #1 by Bob Rutemoeller. Photo #2 was taken by Mary Sue Ittner of a plant found flowering near Tulbagh August 2006 with Lachenalia unifolia. Photos #3 & 4 are habitat pictures from Cameron McMaster taken in the Overberg.
Ornithogalum graminifolium is found on stony clay flats and slopes, often in moist sites from the western Karoo to Kwa Zulu-Natal. It has linear to lanceolate leaves and white, yellow or pink flowers with dark keels. This species has a wide distribution and is very variable in color and habit. It blooms in summer. Photos by Mary Sue Ittner and Cameron McMaster.
Ornithogalum hispidum is found on clay flats and stony clay slopes from Namaqualand to Worcester. Leaves are distinctive, three to six, often with spotted sheathing bases and hairy. Flowers are white in a narrow raceme. Photo by Cameron McMaster taken in the Overberg.
Ornithogalum hybrids Rod Saunders and Rachel Saunders of Silverhill Seeds with their partner, Andy, are creating hybrids from some of the South African species. Here are pictures of three of them photographed by Bob Rutemoeller
Ornithogalum maculatum is found in sandy soils, often in rocks from Namaqualand to the southwest Cape and the western Karoo. It is a very striking plant with orange to orange-red or yellow floweres with the outer tipal tips often having a dark blotch. These first 3 photos were taken September 2006 in Namaqualand by Bob Rutemoeller and Mary Sue Ittner. Flowers seen in the morning mist were not yet open, but later in the day they were. Photo #4 was taken by Bob Rutemoeller and 5 was by Mary Sue Ittner. They are plants are being produced by tissue culture by Andy Hackland in partnership with Silverhill Seeds.
Ornithogalum multifolium is a tiny plant usually less than 10 cm. high, but can be up to 25 cm. It is found in shallow pockets of soil on rock outcrops from Namaqualand south to areas in the western Cape. We saw it often with the flowers closed in the early morning or later in the day in the Roggeveld and the Bokkeveld Plateau in September 2006. These pictures were taken by Bob Rutemoeller and Mary Sue Ittner of a group seen in Namaqualand in the middle of the day and illustrate the habitat as well as the flowers.
Albuca - Dipcadi - Galtonia - Neopatersonia - Pseudogaltonia - Ornithogalum index - Southern African Ornithogalum P-Z
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