Wikimedia Commons
Asparagaceae
Chincherinchee
Ornithogalum thyrsoides
Purity and lasting love.
- Family
- Asparagaceae
- Genus
- Ornithogalum
- Native to
- South Africa, Western Cape
- Bloom season
- Spring, Summer
- Type
- bulb perennial
- Height
- 1-2 ft
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- well-drained, sandy
- Water
- low to moderate
- Hardiness
- 8-11
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- The curious common name 'chincherinchee' is said to derive from the squeaky, chirping sound produced when the stiff flower stalks are rubbed together, resembling an Afrikaans onomatopoeia.
- Cut chincherinchee flowers are extraordinarily long-lasting — they can remain fresh for up to three weeks in a vase with no treatment, making them a major cut flower export from South Africa.
- All parts of Ornithogalum thyrsoides are toxic to animals, containing bufadienolide cardiac glycosides that cause gastroenteritis and heart irregularities — a known cause of livestock deaths in the Cape.
- The genus name Ornithogalum derives from the Greek 'ornithos' (bird) and 'gala' (milk) — 'bird's milk' — a whimsical reference to the pure white color of the flowers, symbolizing something rare and precious in classical Greek culture.
- In Victorian floriography, Ornithogalum was associated with purity, making it popular for bridal arrangements; its long vase life also made it one of the first South African flowers successfully exported to European markets in the early 1900s.
Color meanings
0
purity
1
lasting love
2
innocence