Galanthus January 2016

[ichristie]

Our thoughts for this morning were correct a large snowfall and still going about 10cm here are a few pictures from the garden taken  this morning, cheers Ian the Christie kind

[Roma]

Looks a bit miserable there, Ian.  I think we had a few flakes during the night.  Blue skies here just now but a bitterly cold wind.  I do see some white fluffy clouds appearing over the trees to the south west so maybe we are in for snow too.

[Matt T]

I received this plant as Gray's Child, but not sure if it's correct? They're small bulbs so may take another year to show their best.

[Brian Ellis]

The inner mark is fine as it can either be like this or a sort of H shape, it has the flare of gracilis too.  I personally think that nearly all snowdrops take a couple of years to hunker down and achieve their full character.  On top of this yellows and green tips may vary year to year (some green tips rarely showing that character).  No doubt someone who grows it can comment with more authority (NB must check if I grow it )

[Blonde Ingrid]

On top of this yellows and green tips may vary year to year (some green tips rarely showing that character)

This may well be true, but in the case of a variety with a known settling in issue of say, up to three years, I would have expected the seller to have made that clear to any purchasers, up front. This would be particularly pertinent if the vendor also advised that drops should be dug up every three years! Those galanthophiles who keep their varieties in pots and re-pot each year will, under those circumstance never achieve full colour.

In addition, if the drop is expensive, and you may not see its true character for up to three years, that may well influence your purchasing decision.

[Josh Nelson]

This may well be true, but in the case of a variety with a known settling in issue of say, up to three years, I would have expected the seller to have made that clear to any purchasers, up front. This would be particularly pertinent if the vendor also advised that drops should be dug up every three years! Those galanthophiles who keep their varieties in pots and re-pot each year will, under those circumstance never achieve full colour.

In addition, if the drop is expensive, and you may not see its true character for up to three years, that may well influence your purchasing decision.

I have wondered exactly that Ingrid; i.e. if potted in smaller pond pots and divided regularly, then more time (or perhaps as you say pretty much all the time for some) will be spent in what could be described as an immature or checked expression stage as far as markings are concerned.

Does this get affected by whether bulbs are divided in the green or when dormant?

[Matt T]

The inner mark is fine as it can either be like this or a sort of H shape, it has the flare of gracilis too.  I personally think that nearly all snowdrops take a couple of years to hunker down and achieve their full character.  On top of this yellows and green tips may vary year to year (some green tips rarely showing that character).  No doubt someone who grows it can comment with more authority (NB must check if I grow it )

That's helpful, thanks Brian. I could only find pictures showing the 'H' type marking so wasn't sure how variable this could be. Glad the other characters also conform. Pleased to have this one, which I received as a free gift.

[annew]

Lovely all of them Ann --I seem to remember a video somewhere in which you show the ins and outs of hybridizing --sorry I can't remember now whether it was Narcissus or Galanthus . Is that still able to be viewed please ?.

Cheers Dave.

Here it is:

[annew]

OOps! Maggi already gave the link - thanks, Maggi!

edit:  Happy to help, Anne -  I think this will show the video embedded here :


 

[Rick Goodenough]

G. gracilis beginning to open on a sunny January 31.

Cheers to all of the fine photos here in January!

Rick

[Cfred72]

woronowii and reginae olgae are species (hence their names are not capitalised).  Flore Pleno is bound to be Galanthus nivalis 'Flore Pleno' although that's really more of a descriptive term than a cultivar name.  'Bill Clark' belongs to the species plicatus and originated at Wandlebury Ring, just a few miles from where I live.  I don't grow or really know 'Big Boy' so I cannot tell you about him.   

This one is Galanthus elwesii var elwesii.

Thank you to Alan and Brian, only now I see your answer