STAR OF BETHLEHEM

 
REVIEWING NON POISONOUS PLANTS

The Hospital for Sick Children tell us that Star of Bethlehem is 'known to be poisonous to humans'.
Campanula isophyla.The white form is pictured above.
  Eucharis x grandiflora (See the white lily at the bottom of the page.)
Ornithogalum thyrsoides (below)                                                 .

CHOOSE YOUR POISON
Three different plants that are all called
                           Star of Bethlehem.
They all have other common names which is not unusual. The Campanula is a Trailing or Italian Bellflower and also comes in blue.
The Eucharis is a natural hybrid with and sometimes called Amazon Lily. It grows from a bulb.
Ornithogalum has a rather quaint name that is fun to pronounce: Chincherincheree. It is another bulb, but from South Africa and very important as a cut flower much used in white-themed bridal bouquets. The individual flowers are in a compact truss, deliciously fragrant and very long lasting. I have not thought about Chincherincheree for years but if memory serves I do recall that the flowers close at night.
  
   So which Star of Bethlehem is deemed to be toxic? No, I am not giving out prizes. Just answers. It is the Chincherincheree and I am told that it is strong medicine that can violently affect the heart. Do remember that you are most unlikely to find the bulb and will have a hard time wresting the flowers away from the young lady that catches the brides well-aimed throw. We really don't need so many of lifes' pleasures spoiled quite needlessly by hyper-anxious know- it -alls.
   Thanks to air-freight this beautiful flower is shipped to florists every day,
by the thousands, with never an untoward incident.