Spring snowflake: growing & caring for Leucojum vernum
Spring snowflakes are early bloomers. Together with snowdrops and winter aconite, they conjure up a touch of spring in the wintry garden. Here you can find out how to plant and care for spring snowflakes.
Spring snowflakes are recognisable by their characteristic bell-shaped flowers, which overhang slightly and exude a sweet fragrance. The snowflakes can be found in floodplain forests and mixed deciduous forests during their blooming season. They form a spectacular sea of glowing white flowers when in bloom.
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Spring snowflake: description and properties
| Family | Amaryllidaceae |
| Distribution | Native to central and southern Europe |
| Appearance | Dark green, glossy foliage; hanging bell-shaped flowers; petals with green markings; storage organ is a bulb (geophyte) |
| Gregariousness | Typically grows in large groups |
The spring snowflake (Leucojum vernum) is a plant species within the Amaryllidaceae family. It is native to southern and central Europe. However, some related members of the genus Leucojum are also found in Great Britain, Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, some regions of the USA and Anatolia.
The perennial, herbaceous plant forms underground bulbs as storage organs. Its dark green shiny leaves and flower stems sprout from the bulbs in spring. Spring snowflakes grow to a height of 10 to 30 cm.
The most striking feature of the snowflake is its flower shape: spring snowflakes usually form one or two overhanging, bell-shaped flowers per stem. The flowers appear between February and April, and each flower is composed of six white tepals of almost equal length. Each tepal has a slightly thickened, rounded tip with a greenish yellow dot. The orange stamens are visible inside the calyx. The distinct ovary at the base of the petals is another eye-catching feature.
Spring snowflake bulbs are about two to four centimetres thick and are found beneath the soil. They serve as storage organs for these spring-flowering plants. After flowering, leftover nutrients are drawn down from the plant’s withering parts above ground and stored in the bulb.
Are spring snowflakes poisonous?
Every part of the spring snowflake plant is poisonous. It contains poisonous alkaloids, such as lycorine and galantamine, which can harm the heart (cardiac arrhythmia) and also cause diarrhoea, vomiting and cramps.
Common snowflake species and varieties
Apart from the spring snowflake, there is only one other type of snowflake plant – the summer snowflake (Leucojum aestivum). It prefers even wetter soils than the spring snowflake. It is also much taller than the spring snowflake – Leucojum aestivum grows up to 60 cm high, including the inflorescence. The summer snowflake also flowers between April and June, which is much later than the spring snowflake.
Planting spring snowflakes
Spring snowflakes prefer moist, nutrient-rich and humus-rich soil with a slightly acidic pH. In addition, spring snowflakes, depending on the species, prefer a sunny to semi-shady location – in the wild, they are most commonly found in mixed deciduous forests.
Spring snowflake bulbs that are sold in shops are typically meant to be planted in autumn (September to November). Plant the bulbs 15 to 20 cm deep in the soil. At this depth, the bulbs are protected from frosts. Space the bulbs 10 to 20 cm apart. If you want to plant the snowflakes over a wide area, you can plant up to 100 bulbs per square metre. Indeed, we recommend planting them over a large area, as spring snowflakes then typically develop better. Cover the area with mulch to keep the soil around the bulbs moist and humus-rich. If your garden soil is particularly poor in nutrients, work in some mature compost or soil improver before planting Leucojum bulbs.
Summary: Planting snowflakes
- Soil: moist, rich in nutrients and humus with a slightly acidic pH
- Where: sunny to semi-shady location
- When: September to November
- Planting depth: 15 to 20 cm
- Plant spacing: 10 to 20 cm
Spring snowflake care
As a rule, it takes one to two years after planting the bulbs for the spring snowflake to produce its first flowers. In winter, they do not need to be fertilised or watered. When they start growing in spring, make sure that the soil is moist enough. Often, natural rainfall is sufficient. However, if there is a persistent drought, spring snowflakes are happy to receive a little extra water now and then.
Every few years, apply fertiliser when the spring snowflakes emerge in spring to provide them with the necessary nutrients. A lack of nutrients is often the cause of reduced flowering and spreading of spring snowflakes. A complete fertiliser – such as our Plantura All Purpose Plant Food – is ideal as it contains all the important nutrients for the spring snowflake in a balanced ratio. Alternatively, compost can also be used to provide the plant with nutrients.
- Perfect for a variety of plants in the garden & on the balcony
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Overwintering spring snowflakes
Spring snowflakes are frost-hardy perennials that can be overwintered outdoors without any winter protection. Soon after flowering, the plant draws any reserves from the withering foliage back into its storage bulbs – the yellow foliage is then shed. The spring snowflakes will sprout again in the following year.
Propagating spring snowflakes
Spring snowflakes reproduce all by themselves by forming bulbs and self-seeding after flowering. As it can take several years for sown spring snowflakes to produce flowers, starting them in seed trays is usually not worthwhile. There is a better chance of success and, above all, quicker success if you simply dig up spring snowflakes after they have wilted back in early summer. Carefully cut off the daughter bulbs with a sharp knife and then replant them. With enough water, the young bulbs will grow into new, flowering spring snowflakes and soon after also form small groups through self-reproduction.
Snowflakes and snowdrops: danger of confusion?
Snowdrops (Galanthus) flower at the same time as spring snowflakes. Snowdrops also belong to the Amaryllidaceae family and are often confused with spring snowflakes. However, if you look closely, you will notice some clear differences. For one thing, both spring snowflakes and snowdrops have distinct petals: snowdrops have elongated petals, whereas spring snowflakes have broader, rounder petals. Furthermore, while both flowers have small green dots, spring snowflakes have them on all six petals, whereas snowdrops only have them on the three inner petals.
If you would like to learn about other springtime bloomers, head on over to our article about the most beautiful spring flowers.
