Galanthus woronowii variations

[Diane Whitehead]

There don't seem to be many variations of woronowii.  I have had
two, from local sources, for over 30 years.  One is undistinguished,
except that it blooms early, for a long period, and multiplies very well.
The other has a tiny green spot on the outer petals, and was being
sold in a garden centre as Viridapice.  I have never had seeds from
either clone.

Occasionally bulbs are brought in from the Netherlands and sold in
flower outside grocery stores.  This is one of those years, and I
have been driving around to all the supermarkets looking for them.
Our season is very late this year because of cold weather, and the
pots of snowdrops are mostly showing tight buds.  As soon as one
flowers, it is snapped up by a passing shopper.  So I have not had
the immense selection to choose from that I had hoped for.  The ones
that I have seen in flower have been small and ordinary, except for one
with a good-sized outer mark, the biggest I have seen.

Here are two grocery store woronowii, and one elwesii bought last
year, to compare flower size.

[mark smyth]

I have a tiny woronowii at only 3 inches tall

[Anthony Darby]

Could we see bigger versions of these pics Diane? The green tipped ones are most interesting.

[mark smyth]

woronowii 'Green Woodpecker'
woronowii small pale form

[KentGardener]

Diane

I would love to see a picture of that one on the right of your photograph.  The green mark looks very distinct and the shape of the flower looks nice (to my eyes).

Regards

John

[Diane Whitehead]

The two plants are right next to each other and look identical
so I think I must have a double-nosed bulb.

[KentGardener]

Love it!   

One to look after (translated = don't shove it under the bench with no soil!   )

Regards

John

[johnw]

The two plants are right next to each other and look identical
so I think I must have a double-nosed bulb.

Diane   - It's a beauty!

johnw

[Alan_b]

Diane

That's a real find you have there.  I would not describe it a green tipped because of the look and shape of the outer petals.  Much more like Trym or Clovis or Green of Hearts where the outer petals have taken on some of the character and shape of the inner petals.  You must look after that one carefully and bulk it up.

[Hagen Engelmann]

Diane,
yes, I think like Alan. Fine discovery. Your supermarket is a treasury!

[Anthony Darby]

Yes Diane, that is very special. I would be tempted to get it checked out by the experts as you may have a real find? I think some people would give their eye teeth for a woronowii like that? You must name it.

[mark smyth]

Wait a year before naming it. About 4 years ago I got 11 green tipped woronowii from a garden centre I worked in. All came back normal and have never produced green tips since then

[Paddy Tobin]

Mark,

I am beginning to worry about you. Yesterday, I think, you grouped several of the G. atkinsii cultivars together and said you could see no difference between them. You did likewise with G. 'Mighty Atom' and G. 'S. Arnott' and today you are advising restraint in naming new snowdrops. This is not the Mark we have become used to at all. This latest trip across to the U.K. must have had great effects on you.


Paddy (tongue in cheek)

[Anthony Darby]

I think Diane's plant is a find on a par with Galanthus 'Valentine's Day'. The fact that there are two identical flowers would suggest stability, rather like Tony's twin petalled one. I'd be excited to find either one. Mmm a cyborg has just walked along the Callender Road past my classroom window.

[mark smyth]

A phone call today and I hear there is an almost virescent woronowii but when I said Diane's looks like 'Trym' s/he got a little excited.