Galanthus February 2016

[Matt T]

I've received a mis-named snowdrop this year. It's not very distinct so a bit of a long shot, but can anyone put a name to it?

[SusanH]

Spent a lovely morning at Cambo in Kingsbarn, Fife. Gorgeous weather here in the East Coast of Scotland. Emma the dog loves posing!!!!

[johnralphcarpenter]

I hate to put it like this but could you show some better photos?

I'm guessing it's 'Hippolyta'

[snowdropcollector]

Lovely Scharlockii Poculiform you are showing Valentin. Seems lot of those Poculiform types are found last years. Some are quite better than others. Saw another one that was named last year, that looks quite similar as the one you have named. Hagen showed it last year in March, called Nelly's Nettes.

[Valentin Wijnen]

Richard, good to hear from you, first time this year . I was wondering if you were still alive (LOL)
AS you can see Richard, 'Grakes Heredij' is not at all a poc Scharlockii. It even does not show the 'donkey ears, nor split spathes. It is much higher. It is pure nivalis with probably some influence.
My 'Grakes Heredij' has NOT been found last year, Richard. I grow it already for quite some years, as I described earlier. I even think you saw it when you were surveying my collection 2-3 times in the past years.
The picture of the current clump shows how I built it up... You see bulbs multiplying after the clump being split for the 3-4 th time...
Galanthus nivalis 'Grakes Heredij' is by far the best of three- four similar types I grow. It is much higher, big flowered, showing better contrasts, always good in habit, healthy clumper. Quite some people have paid a visit to snowdrop locations last years. After the locations get known, lots of galantophiles start searching. I can only say that the diversity on quite some locations has gone now. It is even not worth searching anymore. ... I read for instance upon the Northumberland yellows that the populations on yellows are diminishing. Germany, the Netherlands, France, Bohemia, Scotland...will probably see the same. In Belgium we experience similar evolutions...
And yes,  more or less similar types were found...That's maybe inherent to Galanthus, isn'it it?
The most rewarding part since some years, are the seedlings arising in the garden. Always a big surprise!

[Dean C]

Hi all, a brand new selection from the stable. I selected this snowdrop already in 2008. Since than I have been bulking it up to a decent number before naming it. I think that is essential: growing an oustanding selection, getting it up to a good number of petals, trying it in at least three gardens and than if it supposed to be an extra, naming it...

Here is Galanthus nivalis 'Grakes Heredij'. It is a perfect poculiformis, with all crisp white six petals being - approx.- of the same length but every petal is heavily marked at the end with dark green stripes. It flowers at a good height, is a pure nivalis, but the flowers are approx. 3 cm... So, , not one of my findings in 'Scharlockii' but a new bold growing and flowering poculform green marked nivalis.

  Valentin, A real beauty, and very distinctive.

[Valentin Wijnen]

Thank you, Dean. 'Grakes Heredij'  is indeed a new and distinctive snowdrop. Till now snowdropland knew the beautiful white pocs and invers pocs (what now needs to be called with an awful tonguetwister 'pterugiform'. No discussion further on this issue?). A new era in poculiforms  has now begun with green tipped, striped, flamed or even complete green pocs. Imagine these in...yellow...? Still a wet dream...

[Maggi Young]

.......... invers pocs (what now needs to be called with an awful tonguetwister 'pterugiform'. No discussion further on this issue?).

Since you ask, I prefer the older term of inverse poculiform !

[emma T]

I-pocs for the win

[emma T]

The more I examine the snowdrops at work the more errors I find . A double that's also a single that's not ' Natalie Garton'

[Valentin Wijnen]

Emma and Maggi, I think that 'inverse pocs' does tell a lot more what has to be understood by the 'term' itself. It is much more understandable (and it is way better pronouncable) than 'pterugiform'. I also feel that this last name was created 'to home' some new types which are not at all being inverse pocs but rather good marked snowdrops with shortened outers.
To me true 'Inverse pocs' should show six petals of approx. the same size and length with almost the same marking on inners and outers. What about you all outthere?
Pterurig or I-poc?

A true and good INVERSE poc is of course Galanthus nivalis 'Valentine's Day'. All six petals of the same length, same markings...

[Alan_b]

Or 'Cutie-Pie'



But most snowdrops described as "inverse poculiform" are nowhere near as 'perfect' as either of these.  They are more frequently to "inverse poculiform" what 'Angelique' is to poculiform (i.e. tending in that direction but not all the way there).

[Blonde Ingrid]

A stunning new addition to the yellows from Andy Byfield: Galanthus gracilis Lemongrass!

I do love the yellow drops and this is one I seriously coveted. It has considerably exceeded my high expectations of it! It is gorgeous.

Described by Andy as: "a lovely yellow form of large gracilis. I guess that it is Flete's version of the yellow 'Ronald Mackenzie'. 'Lemongrass' has a much more rounded and shouldered flower (think E.A. Bowles), and its leaves are more twisted"

The shoulders are definitely more rounded, the leaves more twisted and noticeably so.

However, it is the colour of Lemongrass that sets it apart from Ronald Mackenzie.  I have again used an International Colour Chart (Sundberg) to try and reduce subjectivity, as I did with the virescents.

Ronald Mackenzie is solely 'Bumblebee' on both the apical and basal marks. Lemongrass is 'Butter' on the apical mark but shading from 'Butter' to 'Medallion' on the basal marking, so it highly visibly distinctive from RM. It is thus a delicious two-toned yellow drop.
 
Initial impressions are that it is robust and If you love yellows, this variety is a must!

[Alan_b]

You're doing a tremendous job of keeping us posted with pictures of new and interesting snowdrops, Ingrid.  Do you just hold the snowdrop flower next to the colour chart to make the comparison?  That would make an interesting picture, perhaps?  I'm always interested in the methodology as well as the results. 

[annew]

It's a very nice yellow, Ingrid.