Leucojum

[kalle-k.dk]

Some years ago I got from a good garden friend a Leucojum with double flowers, he named it 'Gertrude Wister' and told me it was to be found in an old rectory in England.

[Brian Ellis]

Very, very nice - I wonder which rectory.....

[David Nicholson]

She seems to have more American connections

http://articles.philly.com/1999-07-20/news/25522638_1_yearbook-achievement-awards-horticulturist

[Leena]

I was looking at my pictures from last spring and thought to post some of my Leucojum vernum.
I hope this is the right thread.
I have a few different ones. This first clump is the oldest and I got one bulb from a friend who had gotten it from Saaremaa, Estonia. There is always only one flower per stem and the spots are pale green, almost yellow by the end of the flowering. First and second picture are this plant.
Then I have another plant with only one flower per stem and the spots in this one are golden yellow. I got this plant from a friend in Finland, and don't know it's origin. The third picture is this plant.

[Leena]

Then I have two different plants which have two flowers per stem.
The first one was bought either from Eurobulb or Janis Ruksans six or seven years ago, planted the same autumn, but the plants got mixed up and the other one never came up so I'm not sure of the origin of this one. The spots in the flowers are yellow. The first and second picture are from this plant.

The other plant with two flowers per stem was bought from market in Tallin Estonia, and it has green spots. I especially observed the color of the spots in my plants last spring and the color in this one stayed green.

[bulborum]

Hi Leena

The green tipped one most of the time is called Leucojum vernum var. vernum
The yellow tipped one most of the time is called Leucojum vernum var. carpathicum
Not all taxonomist accept these names and call them all Leucojum vernum
Sometimes the yellow tipped one change colour because of the soil

Roland

[Leena]

Sometimes the yellow tipped one change colour because of the soil

Thank you Roland.
The pH of the soil might be a reason why I have both green and yellow spots in both of the types (one flower and  two flowers per stem). The plant in the last two pictures with two flowers and green spots (L.vernum var vernum?) is in acidic soil, and so is the last one in my first posting with one flower and yellow spots (I know the soil is acid because Hydrangea Endless Summer growing close had very blue flowers, and I also grow rhododendron seedlings in that bed).
I'm not so sure of the pH of the soil where the other two plants grow, I suspect the bed where the first plant grows is more neutral.
Does the acidic soil change the color of the spots more green or more yellow?

[bulborum]

That's what I think
but I am not sure for that
maybe other members have different experience

Roland

[johnw]

Things were desparately late this Spring - hardly an apt description - and slow further by a late snowfall.  Still the bulbs have recovered.  Yesterday a patch of Leucojum vernum v. carpaticum and a double- headed seedling amongst the legions of them.

johnw - +7c, +15c tomorrow.

[Maggi Young]

Such a grotty season for you so far, John - you must be pleased to see this charming evidence of the toughness of these  plants.

[partisangardener]

Today some farmer at the market had again Leucojum.
This time there was one with very faint marking on the outer petals and none on the inner.
I bought it with some other  bulbs.
I think it more distinct than Null Points.

[partisangardener]

Today I had a look to the garden where I discovered two years ago another nearly spotless Leucojum. This year there were two one just like mine (very tiny dots on the outer petals) which was new and the older one with tiny light yellow dots on each petal.

I took some pollen from mine and tried theirs on mine.
On my way to my Studio I had some other stops for this beautiful flowers. Here some nice examples in form an colour.
At another place the pictures were not good I will have a try tomorrow.
I hope you enjoy

[Maggi Young]

 The almost pure white types are very pretty - but of course, I like all Leucojum .

[partisangardener]

There is another find in the garden where I found the other two white Leucojum.
In the backyard with only one bunch of plants (Leucojum) was the only very special flower. The outer petals had something like filaments.  It was either seedlings or the same clone.
The garden belongs to a lady aged 83 and she promised, to ask her gardener not to meddle with these plants.
The inner petals were smaller than the outer.
I wonder whether this is persistant or not?

[Uwe]

Leucojum-Forest: