Where can i obtain seeds for Galanthus

[NeilH]

I have a thousands of Galanthus Nivalis growing in my small wood & would like to try some other types.When seed exchange lists come through i always order any different vareirties,but very few seem to be available.Can anyone offer alternative sources or is it best to bite the bullet & buy a few new bulbs & poliinate manually & collect seed & or have ago at twin scaling.Any advice on building a galanthus collection on a limited budget appreciated.

[Diane Whitehead]

In autumn boxes of bulbs imported from the Netherlands are for sale in our garden centres.

I bought Galanthus elwesii and G. woronowii, selecting big bulbs with two bulbs joined together.   I planted them in large pots so I can scrutinize them for any interesting markings.  Then I will put them in the garden.

[Kathy1987]

Hi Neil,

Vojtěch Holubec is offering seeds of Galanthus plicatus v. plicatus. You can ask him for his current seed list. vojtech.holubec@tiscali.cz

Dr. Pilous has alpinus and platyphyllus. vlpilous@seznam.cz

Maybe that’s something for you.

Greetings
Kathy

[Anthony Hawkins]

DIY is a good route, but slow. Note that many varieties are sterile so you won't get seed from them. I believe many more are self-sterile, and chromosome count varies so many crosses don't work! So it is complicated to design a breeding program.
But, if like me, you are looking for things to naturalise, once you have a ripe pod you are almost guaranteed plants. A near ripe pod which might tempt a slug can be removed; kept moist in a bright place it will continue to ripen (it is green because it is still photosynthesising). There is advice on sowing and growing on. Seed sown fresh will probably germinate quickly and make a tiny bulb without putting up a leaf! and then grow a visible leaf much later than a full grown bulb. Seedlings like company and dislike disturbance.
So look at descriptions which mention seed bearing, and buy a few. - My 2 cents.

[Leena]

DIY is a good route, but slow.

When I fell in love with snowdrops about ten years ago, I also didn't (still don't) have a big budget. Many snowdrop seeds which can be bought or from seed ex are dry, and don't germinate well, if all. I have managed to get seeds from Holubeck to germinate, but mostly I decided to buy different types of snowdrops for mother plants, so I could get my own fresh seeds from them and that way I could get more in time. And with luck even something new, at least for me.
I knew that some cultivars were hybrids and sterile, but some are also fertile. Even the fertile ones don't make seeds every year, and not much, and it may be because of our weather in spring. In your climate they could be more productive. However, I have gotten seeds from G.nivalis (apparently not all strains are  fertile, but mine is), G.elwesii from garden center bulbs. G.plicatus from Augis bulbs (these give seeds every spring, and increase from bulbs also well), and G.woronovii from garden center bulbs. Some G.plicatus cultivars seem to produce seed pods quite well, 'Gerard Parker' is good for me, and 'Copton Trym' and 'Trympostor'. Also 'E.A.Bowles' has given seeds some years. 'Spindlestone Surprise' gave seeds one year, too. These were all open pollinated, I just collected the seed pods and sowed the seeds. G.nivalis spreads by seeds in the lawn.
So you don't have to pollinate yourself, just let the bees do the pollinating, and collect the seeds. I have found that sowing them in pots gets better results, at least when there are not so many seeds in the beginning.
So like Anthony,  I encourage you to buy some mother plants, and different species for mother plants.

[Guff]

I had this same idea, and let the bees do all the work and maybe something interesting would pop up at some point. I have left all seed pods stay where they have landed. All increases are as is, I didn't add in any more bulbs to this bed. Each year I add a top layer of screened leaf compost and ferts.
Right side row, were grown from seed, left side row were purchased bulbs.
First picture 2016
Second picture 2020