New Zealand Snowdrops

[Lesley Cox]

Well of course my 'Straffan' may be wrongly named. I bought it 3 years ago from a tiny plant stall at a market. I had a pic somewhere last year and when it's going properly I'll do another as well so Mark or someone can tell me it's wrong. Besides, take any 6 snowdrops and they all look the same to me.

[snowdropman]

I purchased a couple of plants of Galanthus elwesii 'emerald ' from Blue Mountain Nurseries on friday.

Dave - as Paddy mentioned, g. elwesii 'Emerald' is an invalid name, having previously been used for a now extinct snowdrop cultivar.

When I pointed this out to Blue Mountain Nurseries, back in June 2006, they readily agreed to my suggestion that this snowdrop should be renamed g. elwesii 'Hughes Emerald', in honour of the late Stan Hughes who had originally selected it.

I have been growing it, and circulating it, under this new name since that time.

If it is still being sold under the old invalid name by Blue Mountain Nurseries, this can only be due to an oversight & I will see what can be done in order to get the plant labels corrected.

In the meantime can I suggest that you might amend your own plant label, as I am keen to do what I can to try to stop this snowdrop continuing to be circulated under two different names.

The green markings on the outer petals of the snowdrop can be a little variable and some people have reported little or no colour on the outer petals - I suspect however that, like g. elwesii 'Big Boy', the bulbs take a year or two to settle down before the dark green markings show at their best - this has certainly been my experience.

Altogether, a very attractive snowdrop, with good sized flowers, strong dark green markings and nice sized leaves and I rate it quite highly.

[Paddy Tobin]

John,

Just caught your posting re G. 'Straffan'. As you said, it is generally described as a good grower and this is how I have found it here in my garden where it has increased to a very large drift of up to 200 bulbs, I imagine. Not that such information is of any great use to you unfortunately and I am at a loss as what might have caused the demise of your bulbs. Such a pity as it is a very nice snowdrop. Irish, of course, so what would you expect!

Paddy