This gorgeous orange star plant has lime-green leaves interspersed with star-shaped clusters of orange blossoms that grow on the tips of long stalks. This article describes how to cultivate orange star plants in landscape gardening.
Although the bulbous flowering plant is easy to grow, there are specific maintenance needs to ensure that the orange blossoms last the entire season. Additionally, you will learn how to debug orange-flowering plant development.
Orange Star Plant Overview
| Plant Name | Ornithogalum dubium |
| Other Name | Sun Star, Star of Bethlehem |
| Plant Type | Perennial Shrub |
| Growth | 20 inches tall |
| Sun Exposure | Full Sun |
| Temperature | Warm Temperature |
| Watering | Moist Soil |
How to Grow Orange Star Plants
How would you then go about putting in this magnificent plant? The degree to which you are familiar with horticulture will determine how difficult it is to sow and grow orange-starting plants.
- The soil is one of the key elements that determine how well orange star plants grow. Thus, start with the highest-quality potting mix available. It ought to be sterile, bright, and pest-free. Fertilizer added to the potting mix is extremely beneficial.
- Choose a medium-sized pot (you can use clay or plastic for this). Ensure that the bottom has an ample number of drainage holes.
- Fill the container with soil, leaving two inches free at the rim.
- Ensure that the earthen pit you excavate is somewhat larger than the orange star plant’s root ball.
- After inserting the plant, cover the hole with earth. To release any trapped air, firmly press the earth around the rootball.
- Make sure to moisten the soil well until all surplus water is removed from the bottom holes. This causes the dirt to settle more easily.
- Make sure the pot receives six hours of sunlight per day by placing it in a sunny place. If it’s within a space, position it close to a window that faces west or south.
Orange Star Plant Care Tips
The USDA hardiness zones 7 through 11 see the orange star plant thriving outside in warm, humid areas. The sun star plant, which emerges from the bulbs every year, also looks amazing in rock gardens.
However, if you live somewhere cold, you can grow the bulbs in a pot and bring them inside for the winter. Brown seedpods follow the gorgeous flowers with green or brown centers, but the plant needs sunlight to generate those.
Where to Plant Orange Star Plant
Ornithogalum dubium grows best in full sun, preferably in a rock garden or raised flower bed. For optimal flowering, allow your plant to receive six hours or more of direct sunlight each day.
Give your flowers some afternoon direct sunshine if you live in a hot climate. It will not, however, flourish if placed in an area completely shaded by other flowers or trees. You need to provide more light for your sun-star plant if you see withering leaves, poor blooming, or delayed development.
For plants kept indoors, choose a warm spot that receives six hours of indirect light and a tiny bit of direct sunshine. Additionally, Ornithogalum dubium’s root system spreads quickly, yet it won’t take over your garden.
Light
Orange star plants require six hours of direct sunlight per day to grow. Direct sunlight is ideal for growing sun-star plants since it promotes longer flowering times and more flowers. Transfer the sun-star plant to a brighter area if you observe that its growth is feeble and sluggish.
The ideal setting for growing orange star flowers inside is a warm area with at least six hours of indirect light and a little bit of direct sunlight.
Soil
Rich, well-drained loamy soil is ideal for growing orange star flowers. The plant’s bulbs are prone to rotting in very moist or damp soil. Make sure your yard’s layout allows your orange star plants’ bulbs enough room to drain.
If you live in a colder climate, digging up the bulbs early in the autumn is best. They are taken out in the winter to protect the plants from the chilly, damp soil.
Potted orange star plants need a rich potting mix enhanced with sphagnum peat moss and perlite. For the potting soil, use equal parts perlite, peat moss, and ordinary houseplant soil. Perlite aids in drainage, and peat moss serves as a moisture-retaining agent.
Water
Regular irrigation is necessary for young Bethlehem plants that grow in constant, but not moist, soil. Though they still demand a reasonable quantity of moisture, mature plants may tolerate some dry soil.
When the plant is developing vigorously in the spring and summer, water it; the earth should feel dry a few inches below the surface. Dormant plants typically don’t need more watering because their moisture needs are lower at this time. When the blossoms fade and the leaves start to turn yellow, stop watering the foliage.
Temperature
The ideal temperature range for the growth of orange star plants is between 60°F and 80°F (16°C and 27°C). The plants will not survive on the ground in colder climates since they cannot tolerate the cold. Orange star plants often thrive in USDA zones 7 through 11. In the warmest areas, the plants will benefit from some shade from the afternoon heat.
Orange star plants can be grown in the ground in zones 6 and lower if they are overwintered in a cold, dry spot. Alternatively, leave the heat-loving orange plants in containers and bring them indoors from October through early spring.
The orange star plant is susceptible to abrupt variations in temperature. When growing a container plant indoors, avoid placing it near drafts from open windows, hot radiators, and air conditioning vents.
Humidity
Growing in the proper outdoor conditions, orange star plants don’t require any special humidity requirements. You shouldn’t have any problems with growth if the plant is receiving enough sunlight, is growing in sandy soil that drains well, and is on wet ground. Just make sure there is enough airflow for the foliage.
Ordinary room humidity is all that potted indoor orange star plants require to survive. Fungal problems, such as powdery mildew, can arise as a result of high humidity and inadequate ventilation. Furthermore, there’s no need to water the foliage, as this may exacerbate leaf spot issues.
Fertilizer
Regular fertilization is beneficial to the orange star plant if you wish to have an abundance of orange flowers. Apply a fertilizer high in potassium to promote the growth of blooms.
Fertilizer is necessary to restore the nutrients in the soil and enable beautiful plants to bloom. For plants in flower gardens, there are numerous kinds of organic fertilizers available. When it comes to fertilizer dosage, it’s crucial to always heed the manufacturer’s instructions.
Additionally, springtime compost digging can promote the growth of orange star plants. On the other hand, you should refrain from fertilizing and watering during the winter.
Repotting and Pruning
One repot of orange star blooms in the late summer, which is acceptable for indoor plants each year. Pick a bigger pot so the bulbs have more room to grow. It is now possible to refill the soil and eliminate offsets. Take the bulbs out of the container and replace them with freshly mixed perlite and peat moss soil.
This time, plant the bulbs again at the same depth. After giving them lots of water, place them somewhere bright. All that has to be done is trim any dying or yellowing leaves. You can trim the leaves to the ground to make your orange star blossoms look better. The dark green leaves will turn dormant and die once the vivid orange blossoms fade.
Propagation
Dividing the bulbs or cutting off offsets from the mature plants in the autumn is the most effective method for multiplying your orange star plants.
- Look for the tiny bulbs affixed to the mother plant after beginning to dig up the bulbs.
- After sterilizing a sharp knife, cut the offsets apart and plant them in containers or back into your flower garden.
First, dig up the bulbs, and then look for small bulbs attached to the parent plant. After that, split the bulbs with a sharp, sterile knife and plant them in pots or directly on the ground. Every five or six years, the bulbs can be divided.
However, after flowering, you can gather the orange star plant’s seed capsules. In the autumn or early spring, you can sow the seeds in a mixture of moist soil, peat moss, perlite, and fine bark. Once the seeds start to sprout, it could take the plant up to four years to reach full bloom.
Pests
Orange star plants are comparatively resilient and resist infestation by houseplant pests. The only insect that prevents sun-star plants from growing is the thrips, whether they are planted indoors or outdoors. Garden plants can be free of thrips by using a hose to spray a strong water jet.
You must separate your indoor orange star plant from the rest of your houseplants if it has thrips. Next, use a neem oil spray once a week to mist the plant’s foliage and disrupt the thrips’ life cycle. After that, keep using the natural pesticide spray until no signs of pests remain.
Diseases
Root rot is the most frequent disease to strike an orange star plant. Plants that receive excessive irrigation may have bulb deterioration, rot, and final death. In addition, bulbs may deteriorate if stored in damp conditions over the winter.
Make sure you water your orange star plant correctly to prevent root rot. Thus, you should wait until the potting mix or top layer of the ground is dry. After that, moisten the soil to hydrate the bulbs. The plant needs to be watered again when the soil starts to dry out.
FAQ
What is causing my orange star plant’s leaves to turn yellow?
Orange star plants most frequently turn yellow due to three main causes: too much water, bad soil, or insufficient sunshine. Growing the plant in a bright spot with only partial soil drying out is the best strategy to bring it back to health.
Do Sun Star plants return every year?
Orange star plants come back each year if the bulbs survive the winter. If you live in zone 7 or higher, grow the plants in sandy soil to promote consistent blooming. To protect the orange star bulbs from frost, bring them inside during the winter.
Is orange star, the plant, and toxic?
If consumed, every part of the orange star plant is poisonous. Therefore, the plant’s leaves, roots, and blooms poison people, dogs, and cats.