Hi everyone, I recently bought a ornithogalum, which just started flowering. Very beautiful! However, the end of the leaves also started turning yellow. The label on the plant says to keep the plant wet at all times. And so I did... Could this be the reason of the leaves turning yellow? Kind regards luft
1. What you are likely seeing may be nothing more than the plant ridding itself of old foliage. A normal process. The new foliage appears healthy. The fact that it is blooming well suggests that the plant is otherwise healthy, as well. Keep the plant well-lit. 2. Keep wet at all times? All things in moderation. Ornithogalum are not a tropical, nor a plant found in wetlands. Keeping the soil evenly moist during its growth period may be a better suggestion. Ornithogalum also require a well-draining mix (i.e. something that allows water to run out of the bottom drainage holes somewhat quickly). 3. It is a bulb. So, it will have a dormant period and need to dry out. Mark P.S. Often plants will have a balance of foliage-to-root structure. In otherwords, if the plant's root growth is restricted (by a container), then the foliage growth on the top will also be restricted. In part, this is why plants grown in the ground will be much larger than their counterparts in containers. In your case, your container may be restricting the root growth, and hence, foliage growth has it's limits, as well. Older foliage is fading away, being replaced with new foliage, but the plant appears to be a bit constricted by its relatively small container. All of this is just fine, provided the soil drains well for root health. You will simply have to deal with the fading foliage once it reaches maturity. Perhaps, next year, available space permitting, you may chose a slightly larger container. The plant may be larger and with a little less of the foliage drop. This past year, I planted my "amaryllis" bulbs (same family as Ornithogalum) in 10 gallon containers and moved them outdoors in full sun over the summer. The bulbs nearly doubled in size and are about the size of a small melon right now, and are starting to shoot up their foliage and flower stalks. Some have 2 - 3 "pups" that are also sending foliage up through the soil.
