Practical
Plants

Leucojum vernum

Spring Snowflake

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Taxonomy and growth

Height
0.15 m
Spread
0.1 m
Fertility
Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Environment

Range
C. Europe. Possibly native to Britain where it appears to be wild in 2 sites[5].
Habitat
Damp woods, thickets, hedgebanks and meadows, usually in hilly areas and in calcareous soils[3].
Light
partial sun
Shade tolerance
permanent shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

The seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a well-drained soil in a cold frame. Stored seed requires 2 - 3 months cold stratification, it should then germinate in 2 - 4 weeks at 10°c[4]. Sow the seed thinly so that the seedlings can be allowed to grow on undisturbed in the pots for their first year of growth. Give them an occasional weak liquid feed to ensure that they do not become nutrient deficient. Pot up the small bulbs when dormant, planting 2 - 3 bulbs in each pot. Grow them on for another 2 - 3 years before planting them out. Division of offsets in September/October. It is best done as soon as the foliage ripens[1]. Scooping the bulbs.

Cultivation

Easily grown in ordinary garden soil[1][11]. Prefers an open rich moist limy soil[1][10]. Succeeds in shade or semi-shade[11]. If naturalizing in short grass, a light, well-drained soil is essential[9]. The dormant bulbs are fairly hardy and will withstand soil temperatures down to at least -5°c[7]. A very ornamental plant[1]. The flowers have a powerful scent that is likened by some to hawthorns and by others to violets[9]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits[8]. A good bee plant[2]. Plants can be naturalized in damp rough grass[6].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  2. International Bee Research Association. Garden Plants Valuable to Bees. International Bee Research Association. 1981-00-00

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  3. Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-600-33545-3

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  4. Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan. 1988-00-00

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  5. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

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  6. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

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  7. Matthews. V. The New Plantsman. Volume 1, 1994. Royal Horticultural Society 1994-00-00 ISBN 1352-4186

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  8. Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8

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  9. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

    ↩1↩2

  10. Grey. C. H. Hardy Bulbs. Williams & Norgate. 1938-00-00

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  11. Phillips. R. and Rix. M. Bulbs Pan Books 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30253-1

    ↩1↩2

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