Municipalities

Scientific Name

Burchardia umbellata

Family Name

LILIACEAE

Common Name

Milkmaids, Star of Bethlehem

Status

Height

0.15m - 0.5m (15-50cm)

Flowers

White with 6 petals Flowers grow in umbels.

Fruit

Papery capsule

Form

Tufted herb

Municipalities

Break O'Day; Brighton; Central Highlands; Dorset; Flinders Island; Georgetown; Glamorgan-Spring Bay; King Island; Latrobe; Launceston; Meander Valley; Northern Midlands; Southern Midlands; West Tamar

Communities

Coastal Vegetation; Dry Eucalypt Forest and Woodland; Grassy Vegetation

Habitat Notes

Coastal heaths and swampy areas or under light dry sclerophyll cover sea level to 350m.

Site Tolerance

Dry; Exposed; Moist; Waterlogged; Windy

Frost Tolerance

Moderate

Soil Tolerance

Fertile; Loam; Poor; Poorly-drained; Sandy; Well-drained

General Notes

Suitable below powerlines.

Propagation Details

Propagation Calendar

Flowering Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Seed Collecting Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Sowing Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Cutting Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Seed Information

Seed Collection

Seed is enclosed in diamond shaped capsules which become red brown and brittle as they mature. seed is dark brown and hard when mature

Seed Treatment Method

Smoke

Seed Storage Life

Viable Seeds Per Gram

Seed Treatment Notes

Dry until capsules have opened, lightly thresh to extract seed.Sieve to clean. Seed has a 3-month after-ripening period. Poor seedling growth in conventional potting mixes and may require soil fungi or soil from under parent plant. Temp may be critical to germination i.e. not over 18oC.

Germination Time

4-8 weeks

Suitable for Direct Seeding

Cuttings

Expected Time to Take Root

Expected Time to Plant Out

Propagation by Division N.B. Transplant only from nearby to avoid disease.

Cutting Notes