Galanthus plicatus cristata

[mark smyth]

A grower over here grew a Galanthus plicatus from seed which came from a seed exchange. The seed was labelled Galanthus plicatus cristata.

The leaves are quite narrow for a plicatus.

Has anyone heard of this snowdrop?

[Alan_b]

As someone who grew cacti as a youngster, I know that "cristata" refers to a phenomenon where the growing tip of the plant, which is normally a point, expands to become a line (either straight or wavy).  Here's a photo showing the normal round globular form of the cactus at the bottom of the pot and the cristate form at the top (l.h. image) http://www.cactus-art.biz/schede/LOPHOPHORA/Lophophora_williamsii/Lophophora_williamsii_cristata/Lophophora_sp_forma_cristata.htm .

You will occasionally find examples of cristate growth in your garden as a weirdly large flat stem, probably because the growing tip has been damaged.  So I would not expect any bulb to be reliably cristate except insofar that a snowdrop like "Mrs Thompson" often produces flowers with extra petals and sometimes two flowers fused together and this might be interpreted as "cristata".  I imagine that is what the seed-donor meant, a "Mrs Thompson"-like snowdrop.  We will probably never know whether it was like that one year, some years or every year - unless it comes true from seed.    

[Paddy Tobin]

Mark,

I received bulbs of this from your friend some years ago. To date, I can see  nothing in it to indicate anything "cristata". However, it is very strong growing and has a particularly big bulb.

Paddy

[Alan_b]

To amplify, "cristata" applies to the growing stem of the plant (and may be the result of damage).  Since bulbs produce a brand new stem every year it's quite hard to imagine that any bulb could be reliably cristate.  If it was, perhaps the bulb itself would be elongated in one direction?

[mark smyth]

Paddy is your plant a plicatus or hybrid?

I brought this inside today to open it

[Paddy Tobin]

Mark, to the best of my knowledge, it is plicatus. Paddy

[mark smyth]

Maybe he gave me the wrong snowdrop

[mark smyth]

Did you look, Paddy?

These are mine. Both leaves are plicate but only slightly.

[Paddy Tobin]

No, Mark, I didn't look. I'll try to remember during the week but am busy. Paddy