Dr. T. Ombrello - UCC Biology Department
Common names:
False Sea Onion, Sea Onion, German Onion, German Flower,
Healing
Onion or Meerzwiebel
Scientific name: Ornithogalum caudatum
Explanation
of scientific name:
Ornithogalum
- Ornithog – alum, Greek for bird’s milk, probably alluding to the
egg-like color of the
flowers of some species in the genus.
caudatum - caudate (tail-like appendage) probably referring to the long, tapered, and pointed leaves.
The False Sea Onion is
one member of the over 100 species in the genus Ornithogalum. Most of the other members of the genus are relatively
obscure, but gardeners may be familiar with the spring flowering bulb Ornithogalum
umbellatum (Star of Bethlehem).
The Ornithogalum
species belong to the large Lily family (Liliaceae), and have a number of
closely related bulbous flowering plants such as tulips, hyacinths, and
daffodils.
The False Sea Onion is
native to South Africa, but has a worldwide distribution as an ornamental plant.
It is considered to be an old-fashioned windowsill plant in that its
popularity peaked around the turn of the century, when it thrived near the
windows of poorly heated rooms. Central
heating and the availability of a wider variety of houseplants led to its
decline in popularity, and today it is somewhat of a rarity in houseplant
collections.
Growing from a bulb
reaching over four inches in diameter (and usually showing above the soil), the
False Sea Onion produces about six leaves that can be as long as three feet.
A healthy plant will produce a large flower stalk at least once a year,
bearing 50 to 100 flowers that open in succession for an extended period of
bloom. The plant can be propagated
by offsets (tiny bulbs produced at the base of the parent bulb) or by seed.
Besides its use as an
ornamental, the False Sea Onion was utilized in the past for medicinal purposes.
Crushed leaves were tied over cuts and bruises to speed healing, and the
bulb was cooked into a syrup with rock candy to cure colds.