On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 05:48:57 GMT, lid
(Rodger Whitlock) wrote:

snip
~
~ObGardening: Two kinds of snowdrops in flower at the moment. One
~clump was grown from seed as Galanthus reginae-olgae and has been
~in flower for two or three weeks. Frankly, its flowers are
~squinny and don't amount to much. The other group came from God
~knows where, is just coming into flower, and has a more rounded
~flower of much better appearance, with some hints of leaves
~emerging. I've got the galanthus book around here somewhere, but
~I'm lazy and wonder if these descriptions ring bells with any of
~the urglers.
~
I had the galanthus book just a couple of feet from the PC so couldn't
resist looking.

There are two subspecies - one G regina-olgae subsp. regina-olgae and
the other G regina-olgae subsp. vernalis. The latter's obviously
spring flowering.

G regina-olgae "will produce good-sized clumps in 3-5 years, which is
when they look their best"
Leaves absent or 1-3cm long at flowering.

There is also G. peshmenii which is also autumn flowering, with
similar leaf length at flowering. The leaves are described as flaccid
when fully developed.

"The species are easily distinguished,however, becasue G peshmenii has
leaves that are glaucescent to almost glaucous, not green to
glaucescent with a prominent grey stripe as in G reginae-olgae. The
leaves of G. peshmenii are also narrower, and usually longer than G
reginae-olgae."

All quotes taken from Snowdrops, by Bishop et al, 2001.

btw, for anyone within reach of London, the RHS is doing a snowdrops
day in February in the London Halls. Lectures and demonstrations.
Costs £15 and I think it's the 18th Feb. Weekday.


--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

Please remove onmaps from replies, thanks!