August 31, 1912 



THE GARDENERS* MAGAZINE. 



661 



SNOWFLAKES. 



In the many plants which constitute the 

 family of the Amaryllids we have a num- 

 ber of our most popular and delightful 

 flowers. Yet some of the members of the 

 order are not so widely known as they 

 deserve, and among these we may well in- 



Of 



leucojvims. 



those wliicli 



elude the snowflakes or 

 these there are three sections 

 flower in spring, the summer-flowering 

 forms, and those which give their elegant 

 flowers in the later months of the year. 

 They are such beautiful and useful plants 

 that it is not amiss to speak of them now, 

 when the planting-time is with us, and 

 when we are ordering our bulbs for the 

 season. 



The Spring Snowflakes. 



In leu'cojum or Erinosma vernum we 

 have one of the most delightful of spring 

 flowers, this spring snowflake successfully 

 vieing with the snowdrop in grace and 

 charm, having, indeed, a greater wealth of 

 beauty, and producing in the grass, in the 

 border, or on rockwork some of the most 

 exquisite of all effects, with its handsome, 

 bell-like flowers of purest white, save where 

 a beautiful spot of colour adorns the tip of 

 the perianth segments, and reveals more 

 fully the perfect purity of the blossom as a 

 whole. Growing from six inches to a foot 

 in height, it is of surpassing beauty among 

 the white flowers of spring. There are 

 several forms of the spring snowflake, and 

 each is beautiful enough to dcvserve our 

 consideration at planting time. The typical 

 Leucojum vernum is charming, with its 

 perianth segments all of the same length, 

 as pure as the snowdrop, but daintily ti])ped 

 with a green spot. It is, as a rule, single- 

 flowered, but occasionally in a clump a 

 stray bulb or two may give two flowers on 



a stem. 



It is difficult to say whether we most 

 admire this typical spring snowflake, which 

 has grace enough to compel admiration, or 

 its varietal forms; yet there is beauty in 

 the variety called carpathicum. This is a 

 lovely snowflake, differing but little in 

 general apj>earance from the other, save 

 in the fact that the spot at the tip of 

 the perianth segments is of a lovely golden- 

 yellow instead of green. It is a charming 

 variety, w^hose colouring appeals to many 

 of us. 



Perhaps the finest of all the spring- 

 flowering leucojums is that called b}- Mr. 

 J. G. Baker L. vernum Vagneri, ^yhich is 

 the earliest and most robust of the set. It 

 occasionally blooms in January, but usually 

 in February, and has almost invariably two 

 flowers on a scape, while the green spots 

 are deeper in colour than those of the 

 ordinary L. vernum. This is often grown 

 as L. carpathicum, and it corresponds with 

 the flower shown in the Botanical Maga- 

 zine,'' plat« 1,993, save that it has green 

 spots, while that of the plate referred to 

 has spots of yellow. 



There thus appears to be a considerable 

 difference of nomenclature, and it is to 

 be hoped that the names may be revised 

 once more, as the writer has seen, and 

 has in his possession, some varieties differ- 

 ing from the above, including a twin- 

 flowered, yellow-spotted spring snowflake. 



There is also a double spring snowflake, 

 Leucojum vernum multiplex, but 

 this is scarce, and is also rather a disappoint- 

 ing flowerer, sometimes coming misshapen, 

 and often failing to bloom. It is difficult 

 to obtain, and it was only latelv that the 

 writer was able to replace it after being 

 without it for vears. 



The Summer Snowflakes. 



Much less refined than its sister of spring, 

 Leucojum jestivura has yet a role to fulfil 

 in the garden. Its clusters of small, white 

 flowers, tipped with green ^ are iiseful for 

 bouquets and wreaths, and when arranged 

 in a glass with foliage are by no means to 

 l>e despised. The value of this siniimer 

 snowflake is, however lessened by the fact 

 that its stem is too long for the size of the 

 flowers when grown in the open in the 

 ordinary Avay. It is more of a moisture- 



wliite, tinged with red, on chocolate- 

 coloured stems. It is a very dainty snow- 

 flake, Mliich to know is to admire. 



L. roseum, a Corsican species, is both 

 rare and tender. It is only from two to 

 four inches high, and blooms in September 

 and Octol:»er. It should be grown in pure 

 sand. Other snowflakes are L. trichophyl- 

 lum, with its variety grandiflorum, which 

 flowers in April; L. tingitanum, an April 

 bloomer from Morocco ; L. hyemale, an- 

 other spring floworor ; and L. longifolium, 

 from Corsicn, flowering in April and May, 



lover than its sister flowers, and this has but tbose <1() m<U apj^oar to be in commerce. 



suggested a means of ri^lucing thi* Jipp-*" 

 rent lengtli of stern. This is to ])hmt it ns 

 an aquatic, witli ul)oui vsix inclns ot water- 

 above tbe baso of the stem. In water it 



Cultivation. 



sprini: and suinnter snowllakes like 

 a guud soil, lathcr inclined to moisture, 



THE CAEPATHTAX SPEING SNOWFLAKE (LTTCOJUAr VKIJXT CAEPATTTTrrM) 



l'l(iwei> white with yellow spots on the ^egii.oiit: 



7. IM 



tlie CiiroIIa. 



looks delightful. 



It may also be planted 

 among U)W' grass, or carpeted b}' some plant 

 which will deprive it of some of its un- 

 gainly appearance. Its ally, L. pulchellum. 

 sometimes called L. Hernandezi, has 

 smaller flowers, and comes into bloom about 

 fourteen days earlier. It appears to be a 

 little more tender than the ordinary L. 

 festivum, which flowers in Mav. 



The Autumn Snowflakes. 



The most reliable of the autiunnal-flower- 

 ing snowflakes is Leucojum autumnale, a 

 graceful little plant, and a gem for the 

 rockery or for pots. It grows about six 

 inches or so high, and has narrow, grassy 

 leavesj and a succession of little flowers of 



SIX 



and should be planted rather deeply— 

 inches not being too much. The autumnal 

 varieties prefer a rather dry soil^ and are 

 more tender than the others. Planting 

 should be performed as soon as the bulbs 

 can l)e procured. The be^t time to plant 

 L. autumnale is in June or July, placing 

 the bulbs, which are small, at a depth of 

 about two inches. S. Arnott. 



Cea.nothus Indigo.— While most of 



the ccanothiitses have flowers of some shade 



-I 



of blue, this is the richest coloured of the 

 numerous varieties that bloom during^ th€ 

 latter part of the summer and early autumn. 



— W 



