Galanthus plicatus cultivation

[Tristan_He]

Hi there, does anybody out there have any advice on the conditions this species prefers, and some good vigorous clones?

For those that don't know my conditions, I garden on a SW slope at about 300m in NW Wales. The soil is naturally rather thin and acidic (strictly, base-poor), with a tendency to dry out in prolonged dry spells - usually in May or June. We get a lot of rain most of the rest of the year (probably as much as 1500mm), but due to the slope and soil it never waterlogs even though the soil can get very wet at times. The garden has both sunny and shady areas with deciduous (willow, hazel) and evergreens (holly, rhododendron). Galanthus elwesii and nivalis cultivars generally do very well here and 'Primrose Warburg' is also a good doer.

I've not really had a plicatus cultivar thrive so far though. They do increase, but rather slowly if at all, and I'm wondering whether there is anything I can do to help them? 'Diggory', 'Madelaine' and 'Wendy's Gold' are all very slow. I had to bin some 'Augustus' as they were virused, and 'Florence Baker' may also need to go. I'm also trying 'Warham' and 'Veronica's Trum' but it's too early to say if these will do better.

Is there anything they might like - maybe extra feeding or some lime? Or do they need a moist location?

Any thoughts welcome.
Tristan

[Gail]

The plicatus cultivars did rather better for me in Suffolk than here. I had a couple of unnamed clones that I'd bought at Saxham Hall where they have naturalised, a large clone had leaves like cabbages! I think they are less tolerant of summer drying than some species and would certainly benefit from a good leaf mould mulch. I've lost Diggory here but have various others. pm me your address and I'll send you a couple to try.

[Tristan_He]

Thanks Gail for your advice and kind offer! I'll send you a pm.

[Leena]

I think they are less tolerant of summer drying than some species and would certainly benefit from a good leaf mould mulch.

I agree with Gail.
G.plicatus does better in my garden than G.elwesii, for example, in regards that G.plicatus multiplies much faster. At least most of them do, only 'Wendy's Gold' is very slow here, and I have it two different beds.
'Diggory' does very well and I have been able to divide it already several times, from one original bulb planted in 2013.
I think here G.plicatus does best in moist woodland beds (which have pH around 6 or less, but I don't know if that is relevant). In sandy soil (I have only one sandy spot) it doesn't do as well here, but in most beds very well, and it is my favourite species.
I have a nameless G.plicatus from Augis bulbs and it is a very vigorous snowdrop, and very good increaser. I wish we would have talked about this last year, I could have sent it to you! Now I think it is not possible:(.
I have also a nameless G.plicatus from Gail, a shorter plant than Augis plicatus, but it has also increased well, even when it grows in more drier spot.

[Alan_b]

I used to live in South Cambridgeshire where plicatus is widely naturalised in hedgerows and churchyards.  It's the driest part of England with some recent summer droughts severe enough to polish-off mature trees but I did not observe plicatus snowdrops to suffer.  They grew perfectly well in the driest parts of my dry garden in a dry county so, with all due respect to Gail, I don't believe her opinion that they don't like summer drought.  I even planted some 'spares' right under a chestnut tree in very thin soil and was surprised to see that they lived and multiplied.  Now I am in Northumberland it is colder and wetter but the plicatus snowdrops I brought with me seem perfectly happy (unlike elwesii which seem prone to botrytis here).  The only weakness I have observed in plicatus snowdrops is that they appear to be more prone to Peyronellaea curtisii (formerly known as Stagonospora curtisii) than other snowdrop species.

One thought, the area where they thrive in Cambridgeshire (and where 'Madeleine' and 'Wendy's Gold' originated) is on chalk; I don't know how they take to acid soils.

[Tristan_He]

OK, thanks everyone. I may try adding a little lime to the soil next to one or two clumps to see if it makes any difference.

[Leena]

One thought, the area where they thrive in Cambridgeshire (and where 'Madeleine' and 'Wendy's Gold' originated) is on chalk; I don't know how they take to acid soils.

I remembered that you had written that earlier, and last summer I dug my other 'Wendy's Gold' up and replanted them with limestone chips so I'll see in a few years if it helps:) (I don't want to add chalk or calcium to the soil in a larger area, because I have also rhododendrons near by).
My other G.plicatus seem to do fine in acid soil, but of course my experience is more limited and shorter than yours or Gail's .