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Spring Snowflake Wikimedia Commons
Amaryllidaceae

Spring Snowflake

Leucojum vernum

Hope and new beginnings.

Family
Amaryllidaceae
Genus
Leucojum
Native to
Central Europe, Southern Europe
Bloom season
Winter, Spring
Type
bulb
Height
6-12 in
Sunlight
partial shade
Soil
moist, humus-rich, well-drained
Water
moderate
Hardiness
4-8
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • Its bell-shaped white flowers with distinctive green spots at each petal tip distinguish it from true snowdrops.
  • It often blooms while snow is still on the ground, pushing through frozen soil in late winter.
  • The bulbs contain galantamine, a compound now used to treat Alzheimer's disease symptoms.
  • Unlike snowdrops, all six petals of the spring snowflake are the same length.
  • It naturalizes readily in damp woodland settings and can form impressive carpets over decades.

Color meanings

0

hope

1

new beginnings

2

consolation

Uses

  • woodland gardens
  • naturalizing
  • spring bulb displays
  • pharmaceutical source