I just got this nice looking orange plant called Orange Star - Ornithogalum dubium. Just wanted to know anyone's experience growing this plant..how long did your blooms last? And after it blooms, do I follow the daffodil way of letting the leaves grow fully and chop it off later..do I need to dig the bulbs out? Is it easy to rebloom?

I grow this little beauty under fluorescent lights in my basement over winter. It appears a scape with blooms is getting ready to pop. Once in bloom, the bloom presentation is kind of lengthy (comparability to other bloomers in basement.) Once the bloom fade, I cut blooming stems off and let the leaves grow until plant starts to lose vigor. Gradually cease watering. At die-back I just place the pot in a dark spot in the basement and leave it dry till new growth noted (usually fall), then start anew. Sometimes the next season brings more blooms, sometimes not. If I find some pics of it in bloom, I'll post them, or post pics when it blooms this year.
(I use the same cultural techniques for this Ornithogalum as with Lachenalia).

Thanks jmorth! That sounds easy enough I just love how orange and alive this one looks..hope to see your photos soon!

tarev said:Thanks jmorth! That sounds easy enough I just love how orange and alive this one looks..hope to see your photos soon!

How about a photo of yours?

Here's its photo:

Nice!

tarev said:I just love how orange and alive this one looks.

Boy isn't that the truth. Beautiful Tarev.

My Orange Star is starting to show its new buds for Spring 2013

Buds beginning to mature a little more...finally seeing some orange color coming about..

Just about there!

Have seen these for sale at supermarkets, but to me, they look messy. Leaves, stems flopping over.
Do they really need support?
I think that's what kept me from buying a pot.

I grew the O. saundersiae ... very nice look. Leaves sturdy, stems long, straight but strong, big flower heads.

Problem, I overwatered last spring and bulbs rotted. Lucky me I had seeds and now I have a pot full of seedlings

I just put the circular support on my plants since I moved them from indoors last year, anticipating occasional windy conditions in our garden.

I was just glad to see this plant come back. Some bulb fertilizer and some new soil and it is set to go. It survived a rain/hail mix last Easter but left it with marks on its leaves, but otherwise it is okay and is now getting ready to bloom

Just saw some of the buds opening up as our temps start hitting the low 80's:

I have been mean with these bulbs..have allowed snails to make a happy meal of the leaves..

But, just got to love the tenacity of this plant to grow..,poor thing such badly eaten leaves, thankfully buds are showing up...have moved it to our glass table away from the garden monsters.

You might consider adding the pics from 4-24-13, a couple posts up) into Database. They're good pics and db can always use more of those.

I need to get something like you're using to corral those dubiums for my Lachenalias.

Nah, that old shot is not too nicely centered.

Most photographers hate it when the photos are all perfectly centered. They like them being off set, it is called the rule of thirds. I like to center mine too though, most of the time.

To each his choice I guess..I will just wait for this new batch..and get a better background.

It sounds like these are easier to grow as houseplants than I had thought. Do they require cool conditions for growth and flowering?

Yes, it does like cool conditions for growth and flowering. Just do not make it too soggy wet.