Leucojum aestivum (Summer Snowflake)

Description

This carefree heirloom species persists and spreads around old homesites. 2′ tall plants begin bloomimg in January in Coastal SC. Butterflies, moths, bees, wasps and beetles are attracted to the flowers. This is the most shade-tolerant of the winter bulbs for our area. They thrive in areas that are sunny or partially sunny, and average to wet in the winter. They grow in acidic, neutral and alkaline soils. They are winter hardy in zones 4-8. Clumps grow thicker by year. They may also spread by seed. They are dormant in summer so growing conditions are not important during this time.

Native to Europe, they were introduced to the USA during the Summer Snowflake are native to Europe. They were introduced to the USA during the colonial period. Clumps grow thicker each year with very little care. They naturalize in gardens but do not invade natural areas.  around old gardens but do not invade natural areas.

We propagated plants from ones that were naturalized on the nursery site in Beaufort Co., SC and had grown without any care from at least 1959-1996. They had planted by the Howard Family, the Gullah/Geechie family who owned the property from the 1860’s until I purchased it in 1996. They descended from people who had been enslaved where the nursery now stands, but through fard work and thrift were able to purchase a portion of that plantation when it was subdivided and sold in 1865.  Summer Snowflakes were commonly planted in the home gardens of plantations in South Carolina. I imagine that they acquired their starter plants from the abandoned gardens of the plantation.

At least 3 large bulbs in 1gallon pots.

https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a411