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Leucojum vernum AGM

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© RHS 2003

Characteristics

Plant type

Bulb

Habit

Tufted

Resilience

Hardiness

old H4 (hardy)

Colour

Flower

Green and White in Spring

Foliage

Dark Green in Spring and Summer

Size

Ultimate height

0.1-0.5 metres

Ultimate spread

0-0.1 metre

Time to ultimate height

2-5 years


Preferred common name

spring snowflake

Family

Amaryllidaceae


Leucojum are bulbous perennials with narrowly strap-shaped leaves and umbels of bell-shaped white, rarely pink flowers, each tepal often tipped with green

L. vernum is a bulbous perennial to 30cm in height, with strap-shaped glossy dark green leaves and erect stems with 1 or 2 broadly bell-shaped, green-tipped white flowers 2.5cm in width

Other common names

  • Agnes flower
  • spring-flowered snowflake

How to grow

Sunlight

  • Full sun

Aspect

  • South-facing, North-facing, West-facing or East-facing
  • Exposed or Sheltered

Cultivation

Plant dry bulbs, 8 to 10cm deep, in autumn, in any moderately fertile, humus-rich, reliably moist soil in full sun

Soil

  • Moist but well-drained
  • Acid, Alkaline or Neutral
  • Chalk, Clay, Sand or Loam

Propagation

Propagate by seed, sown in autumn, in containers in a cold frame or separate offsets after the leaves have died down

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage/Informal Garden, Flower borders and beds, Rock Garden or Wildflower meadow


How to care

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Susceptible to slugs and narcissus bulb fly

Diseases

Generally disease free