Sun stars or snake flowers bear sunny orange or yellow star shaped flowers on snake-like flower spikes in early spring. Sun stars are native to South Africa, where they grow in sunny areas with well-drained soils. The common name, Star of Bethlehem, is based on its star-shaped flowers, after the star of Bethlehem that appeared in the biblical account of the birth of Jesus.

Admire this beautiful plant with caution, because all parts of it, especially the bulb, are poisonous if ingested. These tender bulbs can grow to a height of about 18 inches and are suitable for borders or understory plantings for deciduous trees. They are not reliably hardy in the Chicagoland area.