The flowering period of the milk star can last for many weeks in a favorable location. But at some point even the strongest plant will wither. How you continue to care for the milk star after flowering depends on the respective species.
What to do when the milk star has faded?
After the milk star has bloomed, only the spent inflorescences should be cut off while the leaves are left standing. Hardy varieties remain in the garden, frost-sensitive varieties are placed in a pot in a bright place and later overwintered frost-free.
Milk star fades - How do you treat it after flowering?
How a milk star is cared for after it has faded depends on whether it is a hardy or frost-sensitive variety.
For all varieties, however, you should never cut off the leaves, only the faded inflorescences.
Care for the hardy milk star after flowering
Hardy milk star species such as Ornithogalum saundersiae and O. bellatum remain in the garden all year round. If they have faded, it's best to just leave them alone.
If the sight bothers you very much, you can cut off the spent flowers, but never the leaves. The onion plant obtains nutrients from the leaves that it needs to produce flowers next year.
The leaves shrink on their own in autumn. Winter protection is not necessary for winter-hardy species. Some gardeners recommend a light cover with leaves or brushwood, which must be removed again in spring.
Do not cut Ornithogalum dubium
- Only cut off spent inflorescences
- Leave leaves
- Place the pot in a bright, warm place
- take out tubers later
- overwinter frost-free
Orange milk star (Ornithogalum dubium) is cultivated as a houseplant because it is not hardy. When the flowers have faded, place the pot in a bright and warm place on the windowsill. With a bit of luck, the plant will bloom again, albeit a little more sparsely.
You can only cut off the faded inflorescence. The leaves remain until they turn yellow and shrink on their own.
Then take the bulbs out of the flower pot, shake off the soil and let the bulbs dry well. To overwinter, place them in a paper bag or wood shavings and store them in a dark, cool place until the next winter.
Tip
The milk star reproduces via seeds or by forming daughter tubers. If you grow the onion plant in the garden, you no longer have to worry about propagation. You can also dig up the tubers and move the daughter tubers to another location.
