Galanthus reginae-olgae

[snowdropman]

Some images of Galanthus reginae-olgae seen last week in the Taigetos Mountains in the Peloponnese. 

Melvyn - many thanks for posting, always good to see them growing in their natural habitat. Great pictures - particularly liked that fabulous clump in No 9, must have been quite something to see close up.

[Brian Ellis]

Lovely to see them in their natural habitat Melvyn, I love those pale ones (1 & 3) - they look so delicate.  Awful to think that they are being taken and such sights will not be seen again

[Roma]

Galanthus reginae-olgae ssp. corcyrensis flowering now.
An earlier flower had a 'window' so I could see the marking when it was too cold for the flower to open.

[Paddy Tobin]

How good of the slugs to give you such a convenient window!

Paddy

[Roma]

Galanthus reginae-olgae (corcyrensis) has emerged still flowering from the melting snow.

[johnw]

Galanthus reginae-olgae (corcyrensis) has emerged still flowering from the melting snow.

Roma - No problems flowering reginae-olgae in cool summer Scotland?  There was an article in the Daffodil Yearbook on the problems growing and flowering it in Bergen and solutions.

I have hesitated to try it out here, operhaps I should take the plunge this year.  Any tips?

johnw

[Roma]

John,
When I went to work in the Cruickshank Garden in Aberdeen in 1977 there were two forms of Galanthus reginae-olgae growing there.  One form flowers in October and needs a dry sunny spot. I do still have it at home but it doesn't do very well.  The form pictured was called corcyrensis till Aaron Davis did his PhD.  It starts flowering in November and can keep going till February.  At the Cruickshank it grows in a south facing bed near a large birch tree so would be fairly dry in summer (in the years when we get one).  The bulbs increase well and spread also by seed.  In my own garden it is at the back of the house and gets no sun most of the time it is in growth and does not dry out too much in summer.  If you can find corcyrensis rather than reginae-olgae I think it is well worth a try.  I expect the galanthophiles will correct me on taxonomy if I have got it wrong.     

[johnw]

Thanks for the report Roma.  Sounds like they're worth a try.  I have corcyrensis and even a pot of seedlings coming up since Christmas. 

johnw +1c at midnight.