#scilloideae

Lachenalia viridiflora

Lachenalias were formerly in the Hyacinth Family, but now that whole family has been put in the subfamily Scilloideae within the large Asparagus Family. They are bulbs, mostly native to the winter-rainfall region of southern Africa, and thus dormant during the summer months. They spring to life in the fall, with the various species coming into bloom at their appointed times in the fall, winter or spring. L. viridiflora is one of the earlier species, blooming before the winter solstice. The flowers are extraordinary for their turquoise color.

📍 Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina 🗓 Date: April 14, 2026 🐾 Media: Image 🌿 Species: Common Star-of-Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum) 📝 Notes: Small bulb-forming perennial wildflower commonly found in lawns, meadows, roadsides, woodland edges, and disturbed habitats across much of Europe and widely introduced in North America. Produces narrow grass-like leaves with a pale central stripe and clusters of white star-shaped flowers, often marked with green on the outer petals.

Blooms mainly during spring and spreads readily through underground bulbs and offsets, sometimes forming dense patches in turf and garden areas. Flowers open in bright sunlight and close during cloudy weather or at night. All parts of the plant are considered toxic if ingested, particularly the bulbs, which contain cardiac glycosides harmful to humans and animals.

Hyacinthoides × massartiana

17-SEP-2025

Carpet of Bluebells (Endymion nonscriptus) in Beech (Fagus sylvatica) woodland

Albuca spiralis

This South African bulb is well-named, because the leaves are very spiraled. It comes from the winter-rainfall region in western South Africa, and it is completely dormant all summer. The curling leaves emerge along with the arrival of the rains in autumn, and then the flowers follow in late winter to early spring. Albuca is now placed in the Asparagus Family, in the subfamily Scilloideae, but it was formerly in the Hyacinth Family.