Garden Inventory is a series where I begin an inventory of all the plants and trees in my garden. Along with some of my own pictures, I will link to various sources of information about each plant and tree so we can learn a little more together.
I would also like to highlight your special plants and tress. Pass along your favorite plants in the comments and I will use them for future Garden Inventory posts. — Douglas
Garden Inventory: Snowflake (Leucojum)
“The snowflakes are native to southern Europe, from the Pyrenées to Romania and western Russia, but they have been introduced and have naturalized in many other areas, including the east coast of North America. They have narrow, strap-like, dark green leaves. The flowers are small and bell-shaped, white with a green (or occasionally yellow) spot at the end of each tepal. They have a slight fragrance. – http://www.thefullwiki.org/Snowflake_(botany)
I have been going around and around on these flowers. I think it is the usage of common names that is messing me up. I have heard them called Snowdrops, Snowbells and now, more correctly, I think, Snowflakes aka Leucojum. Based on the pictures I have seen online, I am going with Leucojum.
These are usually the second bulbs to flower in the garden each Winter (Spring for us here in the San Fernando Vally of Los Angeles). First the paperwhites, then these, then the Daffodils. Their bloom varies a week or so each way, according to my Google Calendar-based gardening journal, but it is always associated with the first rains of our Winter rainy season.
I love the delicate nature of these flowers. You don’t even notice the little green dots at the end of each petal until you get right down on their level and check them out. I love macro photography, so I often “get in the face” of various plants and these always yield pleasant surprises.
Just as I have planted more daffodils over the last 3 years, I think I am going to find a source for more of these and scatter them about the garden more. They seem to like it here.
Photos of Snowflakes leaves and stems
More information on Snowflakes (Leucojum):
Previously on Garden Inventory:
