Bulbs

Leucojum
snowflake

- Height 8-18 in (20-45 cm)
- Planting distance 3-4 in (7.5-10 cm)
- Flowers winter to spring
- Moisture-retentive, fertile soil
- Full sun or partial shade
- Bulbs available late summer, fall
- Hardy zones 4-8

the delicate white bell-shaped flowers of snowflakes are similar to those of snowdrops, except that they are more rounded and are carried on taller stems. The foliage is daffodillike: long, narrow, and green. Two species are hardy and grow outdoors throughout most of the United States. They thrive in full sun or partial shade.

Popular species and cultivars
Leucojum aestivum, commonly known as the summer snowflake, has nodding white, green-tipped bell-shaped flowers that appear in clusters at the top of 11/2 ft (45 cm) high stems. They bloom in late spring among clumps of spiky fresh green leaves. Summer snowflakes thrive in moist conditions - the ground around a garden pond is a good site for them. 'Gravetye Giant' is a large, robust form suitable for a shady site. Leucojum vernum has similar flowers to L. aestivum, but they appear in late winter or early spring, depending on the local climate. These 8 in (20 cm) high plants naturalize well in damp grassy places; they're also useful for brightening a rock garden when little else is in flower. Bear in mind that they tolerate partial shade as well as full sun.

Bulbs