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Old 29-04-2011, 05:24 PM
David12 David12 is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Apr 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RFox View Post
Can anyone help me identify this flower?

I picked up a small potted perennial plant called "Sun Star". .. with no latin name and I can't find it anywhere on the net. Does anyone know what it is so I can look it up?
I have a similar plant and put this together. It may help:
Sun Stars
http://www.billsphotooftheday.com/Sun_Star/
Sun Stars are a perennial bulb a hybrid of a common cut flower called Ornithogalum. It combines the dense floral display and large flowers of Ornithogalum thyrsoides, compact habit of O. multifolium, and intense orange color and short stature of O. dubium."
Care and Feeding:
First of all, they are deciduous bulbs, they will die back and come up again next year. So don’t feel bad that you killed it, you didn't!
The timing depends upon your climate, but in Southern California they bloom in the late winter rain (if you have any) and die back in the summer heat. Further north you will need to dig them up in the winter wherever there is a risk of frost. You can start them inside in the winter and transplant them to the garden in the spring.
In the garden they are supposed to like partial to full sun. A tag says:
"Indoors: Keep potting mix uniformly moist, good drainage. Remove dead flower spikes at base.
Outdoors: USDA Zones 9 and 10, not tolerant of frost. Transplant to garden in sandy loam after spring bloom. Protect from frost. When leaves die back gradually withhold water and allow plant to dry out. Avoid summer watering, plants will grow with winter rain. (or winter watering inside)
Fertilizer: Use a blended household fertilizer at 1/2 recommended rate. Apply in early spring once plant shows new growth."
Can a sun star plant live indoors all year?
Read mo Answers.com - Can a sun star plant live indoors all year
A Sun Star plant grows from a bulb like a Amaryllis, so it has a dormant period. When the Sun Star leaves begin to die back in early summer gradually reduce watering and allow the plant to begin to dry out. You must reach a stage in summer where you do not water the Sun Star at all. The rainy season in Africa begins in October so be sure your bulb is dormant 3 month prior. Do not water the bulb while it is dormant. Between October and November you can wait for it to show growth like a Amaryllis or lightly mist the bulb to induce growth. At this stage the soil should never be wet but slightly moist. Keep in mind the seasons in Africa are the inverse of those in North America so growth beginning in winter for this bulb like the Amaryllis is standard.