Herb: Yellow Star Of Bethlehem


Latin name: Gagea lutea


Synonyms: Gagea sylvatica


Family: Liliaceae (Lily Family)



Edible parts of Yellow Star Of Bethlehem:

Bulb - raw or cooked. A famine food, it is only used in times of scarcity. Young leaves - cooked.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Bulb


Height:
15 cm
(6 inches)

Flowering:
March
to May

Habitat of the herb:

Damp woods and pastures, especially on basic soils.

Propagation of Yellow Star Of Bethlehem:

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. Sow the seed thinly so that there is no need to transplant them, and grow the seedlings on in the same pot in the greenhouse for their first year or two. Give an occasional liquid feed to ensure they do not become nutrient deficient. Pot up the small bulbs when the plants are dormant, placing 2 - 3 bulbs in each pot. Grow them on for another year or two in the greenhouse before planting them out when they are dormant. Division. We have no details of when is the best time to divide the bulbs but suggest doing it after the leaves die down in the summer.

Cultivation of the herb:

Damp woods and pastures, especially on basic soils.

Medicinal use of Yellow Star Of Bethlehem:

None known

Known hazards of Gagea lutea:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.