This flower is amazing for wedding bouquets. It adds so much texture and just explodes with blooms. It's wonderful to see such a small flower bud (well several small flower buds in one small area), turn into such a mass of flowers.
History: Ornithogalum is of the family Hyacinthacea - yup related to hyacinths - and is a perennial plant native to Southern Europe and Southern Africa. Because of it's star shaped flowers it is named for the biblical Star of Bethlehem. Although there are 150 species, the best known are O. arabicum, O. saunderasiae, O. dubium, and O. umbellatum.
Availability: Ornithogalum is becoming an increasingly popular flower in design work. The species is available throughout the year with O. dubium being available only from Dec - May.
Longevity: This flower, in our experience, has the potential to last several weeks, while continuously blooming.
Our take: We LOVE to work with ornithogalum; especially the variety of saunderasiae. It adds so much texture to any piece and just explodes in blooms. The price point is perfect to add some volume to a bouquet and give a bride a similar look to stephanotis without the associated price tag. A tight unopened sample is great in corsage and boutonniere work, while the more opened flower is perfect for bouquets. What's even more special is that blooms can be individually separated from the mass to create some couture designs.
We hope you consider using ornithogalum in your wedding work, if it fits into your 'look'. You will not be disappointed with the final product.
Photo credits from top to bottom:
O. thyrsoides: bidorbuy.co.za
O. nutans: missouriplants.com
O. dubium: bulbsociety.org
O. saunderasiae: visiflora.com
Bouquet: Akiko Floral Artistry (photo taken by Capture It! Photography)
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