Star of Bethlehem

A small bul in the lily family, star-of-Bethlehem bears charming star-shaped white flowers, but it's another nuisance that's best controlled by digging it out. "I've been waging war against the star-of-Bethlehem for years," says a Massachusetts gardener. "It's one of the worst garden pests I've ever encountered."

Native to the Mediterranean region, star-of-Bethlehem has naturalized in North America because it self-sows freely-too freely, say those who dislike the plant's large tufts of grasslike leaves in their lawns or bulb gardens.

Fight this pretty pest by digging up the bulbs (preferably before the plants go to seed) with a sharp spade or trowel. Discard the bulbs in a trash bucket. If star-of-Bethlehem has invaded your lawn, control its spread by mowing the flowers before the seeds mature.