Rosemary Burnham hybrids

[carolesmith]

Thanks for posting the photograph of my Rosemary Birnham Alan.
I bought my single bulb from Wol and Sue four years ago and they appear to have doubled each year, i.e. now 16 bulbs. I guess Wol and Sue have a good form and I am always happy with my purchases from them.

[Alan_b]

I was of the impression that a " viresecent " snowdrop was one with green markings - of any degree-  on the outers.

That's certainly a definition but that leaves my predominantly green snowdrops lacking a name.  The 'original green snowdrop' (  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galanthus_nivalis ) was G. nivalis 'Virescens' so for me that represents the model for what is virescent in a snowdrop, although the term is applied differently to other flowers.

[Rick Goodenough]

Carole,

Thank you for those data points on your RB...quite a good doer for you.  Way to go.  Rick

[Carolyn Walker]

I was of the impression that a " viresecent " snowdrop was one with green markings - of any degree-  on the outers. One may have a personal  preference for less or more green markings, but is the very presence of green on the outers not   enough to warrant the description?

That is what I would like cleared up because if any snowdrop with green on the outers is virescent, then the list is huge.  And even if virescent means predominantly green inside and out, there are a lot more out there than I expected.

[Carolyn Walker]

Great discussion this is about my favourites  .

Some more to mention are Elwesii Morgana ( Andy Byfield), Niv Federschwingen, Niv Grune Streifenklocke, Niv Apfelgrun,
Niv Federkleid, Niv Witchwood, Elw Margaret Biddulph, Elw Kryptonite and there will proberly a lot more. We all know Hagen
has some great seedlings, also Valentin Wijnen found a lovely green snowdrop as seedling in his garden.
Gerard Oud was given a great green Nivalis found by two ladies. And not to forget the great looking green Plicates from Ruslan. Who knows how many more there are at the moment.

Thanks for bringing attention to so many more potentially virescent snowdrops.  I have added the cultivars that I could actually find in an internet search to the list.  Hagen's greens are adequately represented thanks to Maggi.  I think 'Grakes Green Bells' is the Wijnen snowdrop and 'Green Brush' is the Oud snowdrop, but what is the G. plicatus from Russia?  Let me know if I have gotten this all right.

[Alan_b]

In case of doubt I refer to the font of all wisdom on snowdrops: "Snowdrops..." by Bishop, Davis and Grimshaw.  I can find no explicit definition of what they consider to constitute a virescent snowdrop but the section on G. nivalis "Virescens" says

For many years the cultivar 'Virescens' was the darkest of any 'all green' snowdrop.  Its outer segment markings are unusual in being confined to the basal two-thirds of the segments, and ... they are solidly shaded green.  Today, however, although most new cultivars are individually rare, there is an ever-expanding range of virescent clones that include many that improve on the greenness of this once unique snowdrop.

I have underlined the word 'virescent'.

Given that we are approaching the 150th anniversary of strongly green-tipped Galanthus nivalis "Scharlockii" it is clear that the authors of the monograph do not consider green markings of any degree on the outer petals to consitute virescence.  Rather they seem to be thinking of a snowdrop that could be broadly described as 'all green' but actually permitting a certain amount of white. 

[Alan_b]

I've never seen this one in life, but G. ikariae 'Emarald Isle' might well be a candidate for inclusion.

[JimF]

'Rosemary Burnham' grows very well here. As John W remarked, it did fail in its first introduction - mostly to narcissus fly and by dividing it too quickly and too often. After reintroduction and patience, it is now producing clumps of up to 50 or more flowers, dormant bulbs from such clumps multiplying rapidly in new plantings.

I believe it dislikes drought and heat, preferring cool roots - helping to retain some moisture. It does best in light shade - inhibiting the fly for us and providing more coolth at root level. The biggest clump is in sandy soil enriched with leafmold/compost, planted on the bright but shady north side of a building with lots of other galanthus and herbaceous perennials - all keeping the ground cool.

Perhaps the original bulb came from a population that evolved in cool woodland conditions? This would explain its lack of vigor in areas with either too much sun or with ground penetrating heat. Most large clumps I've seen of are in "woodland" conditions as described above.

Some of us find it and other so-called fussy snowdrops best divided after the initial bulb increases to at around 7 or more mature bulbs. Dividing the first offshoot or even a "lone" double bulb is not always successful for me with many newer cultivars. I now bide my time before division or even repotting, letting vigor - or lack of same - tell me when to divide.

[Rick Goodenough]

In case of doubt I refer to the font of all wisdom on snowdrops: "Snowdrops..." by Bishop, Davis and Grimshaw.  I can find no explicit definition of what they consider to constitute a virescent snowdrop but the section on G. nivalis "Virescens" says
I have underlined the word 'virescent'.

Given that we are approaching the 150th anniversary of strongly green-tipped Galanthus nivalis "Scharlockii" it is clear that the authors of the monograph do not consider green markings of any degree on the outer petals to consitute virescence.  Rather they seem to be thinking of a snowdrop that could be broadly described as 'all green' but actually permitting a certain amount of white.

To your point, Alan, without directly saying it, your citation from the Monograph suggests to me that newer varieties coming about with more green than 'Virescens' would be potential candidates for a new list of green drops, i.e., 'Virescens' could be the baseline and others would need to have more green than 'Virescens'. While the Monograph is not explicit in those terms, 'Virescent' might very well serve as a benchmark galanthus in formulating such a definition.

[Alan_b]

It is odd that the term virescent is used a lot in snowdrop circles without being clearly defined anywhere that I can find.  Carolyn is right to press us on this issue (although she clearly has her own idea of what virescent constitutes http://www.hardyplant.org/articles/Confessions%20of%20a%20Galanthophile.pdf ).  Rick, I agree with your reading of what the Monograph says.  But on that basis my original suggested definition of a snowdrop that is predominantly green on both the inner and outer petals would not be far off the mark.  Another way of putting this is to say that whilst a typical snowdrop appears white with green marks, a virescent snowdrop looks green with white marks. 

 

[snowdropcollector]

Carolyn,

Valentin Wijnen has a snowdrop that is named 'Grakes Green Bells'. It fits well in this group.
But he also has a seedling that is not named yet, he discovered it last year in his garden.
I will look for some pictures this weekend and post them for you  .

[mark smyth]

I bought my single bulb from Wol and Sue four years ago and they appear to have doubled each year, i.e. now 16 bulbs. I guess Wol and Sue have a good form and I am always happy with my purchases from them.

Good to know. I've bought it two or three times and it always dies. I must get it again next year from them

[Hagen Engelmann]

look here and you can see a lot of greens for your list, your pleasure and your comparison : http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=8667.0

[Hagen Engelmann]

there you can also find a picture of GRAKES GREEN BELLE, if you only want......

[Brian Ellis]

Another one for the list would be 'Green Zebra' and I have heard tell of 'Jade Feather'.