Ornithogalum arabicum (Arab's eye)

Japanese name: オーニソガラム アラビカム
Scientific name: Ornithogalum arabicum

[Overview]
A perennial about 60 cm tall.
It has a large egg-shaped bulb.
The bulb is poisonous.
Five to eight leaves grow from the base in a rosette; they are linear, about 60 cm long and 2.5 cm wide, and thick.
The leaves die back after flowering, and the plant is dormant in summer.
A raceme at the tip of a flower stalk about 60 cm tall bears 12 or more flowers.
The flowers are white, 2.5 cm across, with 6 tepals.
The pistil is black, thick, short and conspicuous.
The fruit is a capsule.

[Cultivation]
Propagate by dividing the bulbs.
It can be left planted for several years.
It prefers sandy soil that is sunny, well drained, moisture-retentive and well aerated.
It dislikes excess moisture.
During dormancy, when it has no leaves, it is better in shade and on the dry side, so when planting in the ground, plant it under deciduous trees or among summer grasses.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries during the growing period, and during dormancy water only so that the soil does not dry out completely.
For plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
Apply compost as base fertilizer, and when it is left planted in the ground, apply a small amount of compost in winter.
There are no particular pests or diseases, but soft rot can occur if the soil becomes too wet.

[Notes]
The name "kuroboshi" (black star) comes from its black pistil.

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