Ornithogalum Species, Giant Chincherinchee

Easy easy easy. Here at the edge between zones 6 & 7 I've never had any of the (many many) seeds sprout, so no problems with invasiveness...Read More. The original 10 or 12 bulbs I was given around 8 years ago have multiplied to 78 with no special feeding and just normal rainfall. I lift the bulbs every fall, and keep them in a cardboard box, loosely covered. They are ready to take off in spring. Very forgiving and the flowers are strange, stately, and so snowy white that their dark centers make them seem to glow. The seed heads & stalks are cool in dried flower arrangements too.

I failed to dig them up before the first frost once, but the bulbs were fine. However, I don't recommend waiting that long because when frost kills the leaves they become gooey & smelly in less than 48 hours.

I didn't know about the toxicity... Hopefully our dog and small army of cats will continue to ignore them as they always have!

I was given this as a tender bulb for the 2008 planting season. I live in PA and our winters are too harsh to leave in the ground, so eac...Read Moreh fall, I lift the bulbs for over winter in the basement and replant int he spring. There hasn't been any problems with encroachment with this bulb. As a matter of fact, this will be my third growing season with it (2010) and I still only have the original three bulbs. I was hoping it would produce more so I could share them, but thus far, they've not reproduced, but have only sustained themselves. I will post a photo of mine, as well. I find it a positive and interesting addition to my front garden. This year I plan to grow them potted rather than in the ground.

I have collected seeds from this and they will bloom in just 3 years from seed. I have to dig them and put them in the basement for our w...Read Moreinters. My tallest got 5 ft in bloom this summer. Takes wind without staking. Does not require additional watering other than rain here. Easy!

While them were marvelous plants in my garden, I really loved them. But, unfortunatelly, this last weekend, I lost TWO Yorkshires, both o...Read Moref which have chewed pieces of plants' leaves and bulbs.
When I bought these bulbs, no one told me about their poisonous effects, mainly in livestock.
After lots of time researching about them, I found some references in FDA database.
Be warned! They're beautiful. But they also kill. And this can happen in less than 10 hours.
User marwood0, from CO, has posted a note on Apr 3, 2008, telling us to be careful about its poisonous effect.
After what I went thru, I have to agree with him and ask: is there any known antidotes vets can use, when animals eat them? Are there any treatment steps, otherwise? We tried everything down here: atropine, epinephrine, adrenaline, oxygen, whatever... And nothing worked out.
My intent is to identify the causes of this unthinkably sorrow mishap and share whatever info I can obtain with Poison Central Agency of my country, which, amazingly, have no info on these bulbs. :(
Thanks in advance.
Regards from Rio,
Claudio

PS: Are they also poisonous to humans?