Common Star-Of-Bethlehem vs Drooping Star Of Bethlehem

Ornithogalum umbellatum compared with Ornithogalum nutans

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Star-Of-Bethlehem	Drooping Star Of Bethlehem
Kingdom same	Plantae (planta)	Plantae (planta)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Liliopsida (Monocots)	Liliopsida (Monocots)
Order same	Asparagales (Asparagales)	Asparagales (Asparagales)
Family same	Asparagaceae	Asparagaceae
Genus same	Ornithogalum	Ornithogalum
Species	Ornithogalum umbellatum	Ornithogalum nutans

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Star-Of-Bethlehem and Drooping Star Of Bethlehem share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Ornithogalum.

Conservation Status

Common Star-Of-Bethlehem

LC — Least Concern

Drooping Star Of Bethlehem

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Star-Of-Bethlehem	Drooping Star Of Bethlehem
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Star-Of-Bethlehem

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Japan), Europe (15 countries), North America (Canada, United States), and Oceania and the Pacific (Australia).

Drooping Star Of Bethlehem

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Range

Found across Europe (16 countries) and North America (Canada, United States).

Common Star-Of-Bethlehem

<em>Ornithogalum umbellatum</em>, commonly known as the common star-of-Bethlehem, is a bulbous perennial herb in the family Asparagaceae (subfamily Scilloideae), native to Europe, North Africa, and southwestern Asia. This species typically inhabits grasslands, meadows, woodland clearings, vineyard margins, roadsides, and disturbed ground, growing from underground bulbs that allow survival through dry summers. Its native geographic range extends across southern and central Europe, the Mediterranean basin, and into western Asia, but the species has become naturalised in North America, South Africa, and other temperate regions worldwide following horticultural introduction. Classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, <em>Ornithogalum umbellatum</em> maintains stable and often expanding populations, particularly where introduced. The plant produces star-shaped white flowers with green stripes on the outer tepals, typically arranged in a flat-topped corymb in spring. All parts of the plant are toxic to humans and livestock, containing cardiac glycosides. Biological traits such as average lifespan, body dimensions, and dietary specifics remain poorly documented at the individual plant level, though the bulbs are perennial and may persist for many years. The species spreads both by seed and by offsets from the parent bulb, facilitating colonisation of new sites.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 10 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇨🇦 Canada 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇫🇮 Finland 🇫🇷 France 🇩🇪 Germany 🇱🇹 Lithuania 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States