Galanthus elwesii 'Magnus'?

[Alan_b]

I don't recall ever seeing this snowdrop.  Joe Sharman describes it as:

• "Very distinctive with a perfectly circular basal mark.  Vigorous.  Mid to late"

whereas 'The Book' is unusually scathing:

• "With no more (or fewer) attributes than a standard G. elwesii, it is difficult to see why this plant should have been singled out for naming.  It is only really of note for the unusual Y-shaped mark on the inner segments, but if this is reason enough to name a snowdrop then every G. elwesii variant with a different marking should also have its own name, which is not desirable!"

So, who is correct?  Does anyone have a photo?

[mark smyth]

I dont have a photo and have never seen it in a garden

[art600]

I don't recall ever seeing this snowdrop.  Joe Sharman describes it as:

• "Very distinctive with a perfectly circular basal mark.  Vigorous.  Mid to late"

whereas 'The Book' is unusually scathing:

• "With no more (or fewer) attributes than a standard G. elwesii, it is difficult to see why this plant should have been singled out for naming.  It is only really of note for the unusual Y-shaped mark on the inner segments, but if this is reason enough to name a snowdrop then every G. elwesii variant with a different marking should also have its own name, which is not desirable!"

So, who is correct?  Does anyone have a photo?

How does "perfectly circular basal mark" tie in with "unusual Y-shaped mark on the inner segments".  Are we really talking about the same plant?  

[Maggi Young]

These two nurseries are named in the RHS Plantfinder as listing the plant.... they might be able to help with some  info.........

LongAcre Plants       www.longacreplants.co.uk/  .... though their online shop only seems to list 'Magnet' not 'Magnus' 

Birkheads Secret Gardens & Nursery        www.birkheadssecretgardens.co.uk
 

[mark smyth]

Long Acre don't have it listed this year but Janet Lecore does
http://judyssnowdrops.co.uk/Plant_Profiles/Elwesii/magnus/magnus.htm

I'm sure she wont mind me showing her photo here

[Alan_b]

How does "perfectly circular basal mark" tie in with "unusual Y-shaped mark on the inner segments".  Are we really talking about the same plant?  

I wondered about this, but now looking at the photograph I see it must depend on the eye of the beholder.  Either you see a single Y-shaped mark or you see two marks, of which the basal mark is certainly roundish, although perhaps not perfectly circular in this example.   

[Thomas Seiler]

Here is a photograph of Galanthus elwesii 'Magnus', which I bought from Monksilver in 2004:

[steve owen]

I have Magnus. I know of several sources; Monksilver certainly had it but not in their current listing, also Ranveig Wallis of Buried Treasure in Pembrokeshire - worth looking at her mouth-watering listing of bulbs far and wide, incl. miniature narcissus. Don't know if she has Magnus currently.

[Alan_b]

I have Magnus. I know of several sources; Monksilver certainly had it but not in their current listing

Oh yes it is, that's what prompted me to ask the question in the first place!  It is listed as Galanthus elwesii 'Magnus'.

[Gert Jan]

Here is the Magnus I took at Joe's

I think it is stunning!!

Sadly enough my Magnus was like by a greedy narcissus fly

[Alan_b]

Is there one version of 'Magnus' where the circular mark blends into the V-mark and another version where there is a little white space inbetween?  Or does it just vary from year to year and/or flower to flower?

[Paddy Tobin]

In Gert's photograph the markings look nicely different - the circle as a separate mark.

Paddy

[Thomas Seiler]

With my plant the two marks seem to be combined every year. But I will give it close inspection when the flowers open.