Double Snowdrop ID Please

[Alan_b]

This snowdrop came to me many years ago as 'Rodmarton' (or conceivably its identity was accidentally transposed many years ago).  My source was very reputable, one of the early snowdrop 'Immortals' in fact.  Only in the last few years have I realised that it is not the same as 'Rodmarton' grown by most other people.  The true 'Rodmarton' has some green on the outer petals and the mark on the inners extends further towards the base.  The Judy's Snowdrops web site has a good picture of what seems to be the typical form http://www.judyssnowdrops.co.uk/Plant_Profiles/Hybrids_Double/rodmarton/rodmarton.htm .  However Ashwood Nurseries distribute a different form that is more similar to mine https://www.ashwoodnurseries.com/shop/galanthus-rodmarton.html as they say that the outer segments are pure white.

First here is a group shot.  You'll see that the pedicel is quite long, holding the flower some way out from the scape.



Now we look closer at a group of flowers;



Finally a shot of the inside.  Quite a loose arrangement of inner segments and not that many



Hopefully somebody can suggest a better ID for this snowdrop than the 'Not Rodmarton' it has at present. 

[annew]

I just looked at all my photos of doubles and it doesn't really look like any of them. The nearest is what I have as Ophelia, but yours has a longer claw than any of my Greatorex hybrids.

[Gail]

Alan, 'the bible' doesn't mention green on the outer petals for Rodmarton; "this large-flowered clone with conspicuously longitudinally wrinkled outer segments is one of the tallest of the double hybrids derived from plic x nivalis 'fl pl' and the earliest to flower.  ...the effect is always of a congested flower of broadly triangular profile...   A very conspicuous feature ... is extreme thickness of the pedicel." The photo is of immature-phase flowers which do look quite different to yours.

Yours looks more like Desdemona, although the marking is perhaps more horse-shoe whereas Desdemona looks heart-shaped? It is "most strongly distinguished by the frequent occurrence of a third leaf on a single shoot" The bulb to the left of your group (with flower omitted) does look as though it has 3 leaves??

[johnw]

Apologies, this shot of 'Rodmarton', for those not familiar with it, is far past its prime but at least gives you an idea of what it should look like.

john

[Alan_b]

Thank you everybody who has tried to help.  Johnw's 'Rodmarton' looks like the form I usually encounter in other people's gardens and the one shown on the Judy's Snowdrops web site.  But Gail makes a very interesting point that 'The Bible' does not mention the green on the outer petals.  I'll check when it gets light but I'm almost certain my 'Not Rodmarton' has a wiry pedicel that by no stretch of the imagination could be described as extremely thick.  It certainly looks that way on the photos.  Ashwoods Nursuries also mention the thick pedicel although it's hard to tell from their photo if their form really shows that feature or if they are just parroting the description from Matt Bishop.   

[Brian Ellis]

This snowdrop came to me many years ago as 'Rodmarton' (or conceivably its identity was accidentally transposed many years ago).  My source was very reputable, one of the early snowdrop 'Immortals' in fact. 

Two thoughts spring to mind.

Firstly I grow a snowdrop which has been around for some time, again from a highly reputable source, and was labelled 'Rodmarton No 2' by the Biddulph family, showing that there were more than one found at the same time and the subsequently named 'Rodmarton' was perhaps the finest, or most distinct, of the group.

Secondly have you thought of getting in touch with the Biddulph family at Rodmarton Manor? If anyone knows and still grows it they would know.  Their contact details are on their website

[Alan_b]

Thank you, Brian, very helpful.

I have been out and looked at the pedicels.  These are not thick that I can see but undoubtedly long, around 3 cm I would estimate.  Typically they are mostly erect but a minority arch in a magnet-like manner so the flower dangles some way out from the scape.  Only one of the flowering bulbs has produced anything that might be identified as a third leaf, certainly nothing notable in this respect.