Star of Bethlehem: pretty weeds

What are the little white six-petal flowers that come up in the lawn every spring? We see more of them each year.

You are probably referring to Star of Bethlehem, which pops up in airy clusters from clumps of grassy leaves about mid-spring. The small (about 1 inch) flowers open in the morning and close by sunset, and flowering lasts two to three weeks. If you are trying to cultivate a weed-free expanse of lawn, you likely will decide before long that this delicate white flower – small and sweet-looking in one or two little clumps — can be a weedy nuisance.

The plants, which are an imported species, grow from small bulbs, and reproduce by seed but primarily by formation of bulblets that grow at the base of the parent bulb, and each bulblet produces a new plant. After it blooms, the plant dies back and remains dormant until next spring, but even though the growing period is short, the plant is aggressive, and will quickly take over an area of the lawn or supplant native vegetation. The flowers and bulbs are toxic and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath, pain, swelling and skin irritation.

The most effective way to get rid of Star of Bethlehem is to dig up the bulblets – each and every one – before the foliage dies back. This is not an instant fix, but may reduce the number of plants in your lawn over time.

Star of Bethlehem is native to North Africa, parts of Eastern Europe and western Asia. In Tennessee (where The Garden Bench calls home), it’s ranked as a “lesser threat” by the Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council. The USDA Forest Service has clear guidelines about how to handle this bulb: “Do not plant this species and eliminate the plant if possible.”