The shape of bulbs of different snowdrop species

[Leena]

Do bulbs of different snowdrop species look different? Is it possible to identify the species by looking at the bulbs?
I ask this because sometimes here it is possible to find in gardening stores snowdrop bulbs sold without names, they are most likely something which are grown in bulk in the fields in Netherlands. Last autumn I bought some very cheaply, and they turned out to be different types of G.elwesii, and some very nice looking snowdrops.
Maybe there is already a thread here about how the bulbs of different species look.

[Matt Bishop]

Hello Leena,

The short (and not very helpful) answer to you question is yes they do.

The longer answer is that there are multiple features which you could use to identify the bulbs of different snowdrop species, but without other information about what the plant looked like as a whole before it became dormant, I think it would be a brave man who stuck hios neck out far enough to say a bulb was ascribable to this species or that.

Looking at the bulb in a dormant state but combination with some knowledge about the features of the growing plant it produced there are lots of observation to be made, more if you slice it length-wise down the middle from apex to base.

Here are some observations to start the ball rolling......

The following seam to be characterised by a thin roughly single layered tunic, usually three to four scales, and white 'flesh':

G. nivalis. One of the smaller bulbed sp. equating in size to both ssp. of G. reginae-olgae (I usually reckon on its form s producing about 12 chipe to flower in three years.

G. plicatus. Larger, more rounded bulbs with thicker scales containing alot more starch and therefore producing flowering bulbs more quickly when chopped up.

G. elwesii. Potentially producing the largest bulbs in the genus, sometimes the size of a Hyacinthus. The exception here are some of the members (I'm not sure if its true of all) of the Hiemalis Group that I've found have about six to nine, very narrow scales.

G. cilicicus. G. nivalis-sized bulbs. this species is capable of retaining mulitple tunics - and when you see its natural treeless habitat in rock crevices, you immediately understand why. I'm guessing that this is an adaptation against moisture loss, when dormant.

G. krasnovii. I was once given a couple bulbs of this and rather fool-hardily decided to twin-scale one. The bulbs were noticeably with a long tapering neck and the scales were very narrow, as above.

I'm sure there are loads of other observations out there. It would be really interesting to hear what other formumist have to say. But now I have to sign off as I'm cooking dinner!!

Hope this helps.

Best wishes

[Brian Ellis]

A thorough reply, cheers Matt.

G.platyphyllus also has a long tapering neck like G.krasnovii.

[Matt Bishop]

I'm willing to bet that G. panjutinii does as well!

[Alan_b]

That's a really good answer, Matt.  But did you really manage to cook and eat dinner in the hour between your first and second posts?

[Matt Bishop]

I say YES! but I got lampooned for burning the sweet potatoes. Ah well.

[Brian Ellis]

I'm willing to bet that G. panjutinii does as well!

I would think you are right, but it will be some time before I get to see one!

[Leena]

Thank you Matt!
I was afraid it wouldn't be very simple, and it is a thing you learn from a lot of experience and time, but your answer is a good starting point.
How about G.woronovii?

[johnw]

G. krasnovii. I was once given a couple bulbs of this and rather fool-hardily decided to twin-scale one. The bulbs were noticeably with a long tapering neckabove.

Was that the infamous G. krasnovii 'Marie Antoinette'?

johnw

[David Nicholson]

 

[johnw]

David  - For years I had it labelled 'Maria Antonia Josepha (Josephina) Johanna'.

johnw

[Alan_b]

You must use much longer plant labels than I do, John.

[johnstephen29]

G. panjutinii is that the new species recently discovered?. I read somewhere that one of it's five sites was destroyed during the consruction of the winter Olympics stadium at sochi.

[emma T]

it's true , Putin wanted another ski slope

[Oakwood]

it's true , Putin wanted another ski slope

another bobsleigh track and gas main ruther.....