Dear PBS and Alpine-L;
Welcome to a combined Topic of the Week (TOW). We hope you have
read the earlier posting about how these topics will be presented in
February. Enjoy the first below. Mary Sue and Jim
An admitted 'Galanthophile', John Grimshaw is also well known as
an expert in East Africa Ecology, plant geographer and writer. He is one of
the coauthors of the most current book on snowdrops and is garden advisor
at Colesbourne Gardens one of the foremost public snowdrop displays.
February is his 'busy' month so direct replies may be delayed.
______________________________
Galanthus - Pacific Bulb Society and Alpine Topic opf the Week by John
Grimshaw
Ah hush! Tread softly through the rime,
For there will be a blackbird singing, or a thrush.
Like coloured beads the elmbuds flush:
All the trees dream of leaves and flowers and light.
And see! The northern bank is much more white
Than frosty grass, for now is snowdrop time.
Mary Webb Snowdrop Time
It is now snowdrop time indeed. For weeks the shoots have been emerging,
and the clumps becoming more visible. Some have been out for weeks, others
are over, but February is really snowdrop time in England, when the
majority of snowdrops are in full flower. It is the shortest and, for
galanthophiles, the busiest month of the year. Non-gardeners think it odd
when I say that February is my busiest time, and even odder when they get
the one-word explanation: snowdrops.
To the non-gardener and, I fear, sometimes to gardeners as well, snowdrops
are just little white flowers that appear when its too cold to think of
going outside. They all look the same, to such people. With luck, they'll
know of singles and doubles, and some will have a 'giant' snowdrop in their
own or friends' garden; at least they may recognize that there are
differences. It is the realization that snowdrops are so variable that
sparks an interest that may lead to full-blown galanthophilia.
Each year, here at Colesbourne Park, we host large numbers of visitors who
come to see our snowdrops. It's not always clear why they come - often it's
just for something to do - but once we take the time to explain the
differences between them, they become fascinated, and can be seen fervently
bending down to examine the flowers. The basic model snowdrop flower is
very easy to understand, and occurs in all 19 species of the genus
Galanthus. The flower has three large 'petals' - correctly the outer
perianth segments, that are usually pure white. When the flower is closed
during cold weather these wrap around each other to make a tear-drop shaped
flower, but when it is warmer, they expand and open, lifting up to reveal
the whorl of three inner perianth segments within the flower. The inner
segments are much shorter than the outer whorl, and form a stiff little
tube in the centre of the flower. On the outer surface they bear a
distinctive green marking of varying extent and shape, usually at the apex
of the segment; on their inner surface they are ridged, with green lines
between the ridges. The tip of the inner segment is almost always notched.
The inner segments surround a cone of bright yellow anthers, which in turn
surround the stigma. All the floral parts are attached to the ovary, a
rounded green organ above the outer segments. The flower is borne on a fine
stalk, the pedicel, which emerges from the main stem or scape. In bud the
flower is held within the spathe, a fine membrane connected to two spathe
valves at the top of the scape: it is erect in bud, but as it bursts from
the spathe the flower hangs downwards and assumes the familiar nodding
position.
If all 19 species of Galanthus have similar flowers, where does the
variation come in? First there is the size. Some individuals may have
larger, or smaller, flowers than the average. The shape, especially of the
outer segments, can differ, some being wider or narrower, longer or
shorter, resulting in a different outline to the flower. The outer
segments, usually white, may bear green markings at their tips, or over
almost their entire extent: occasionally they may even resemble the inner
segments in shape, complete with the notch.
A great deal of variation occurs in the green marking on the outer face of
the inner segment. In many snowdrops the marking is a simple ^ shape, often
called an 'inverted V' or 'apical V', above and following the outline of
the notch. This may be wider or narrower, sometimes being reduced to a
couple of dots, or forming quite a broad band. A simple ^ is characteristic
of the common snowdrop, Galanthus nivalis, as well as G. plicatus, G.
reginae-olgae and several of the rarer species. In G. ikariae the marks
looks square and chunky, covering about half of the segment. In others,
particularly G. elwesii var. elwesii, G. gracilis and G. plicatus ssp.
byzantinus there is an additional band of green above (as you look at a
pendulous flower) the apical V, giving two distinct markings. G. elwesii
varies considerably, however, and ranges from individuals with only a
single inverted V marking (known as var. monostictus) to those in which the
two marks unite, sometimes colouring the whole surface in green (also var.
elwesii). The pattern of inner segment markings is remarkably constant and
can be used to reliably identify cultivars. A similar range of markings can
be found in the numerous hybrids.
Colour varies somewhat in the inner segment markings, from pale to very
deep green, usually being aptly described as mid-green, however. An
occasional variation, very much sought after, is for the markings, and
usually the ovary as well, to be yellow, or yellowish green. We get
visitors hunting the 'yellow snowdrops' who clearly think that they're
looking for something tinted like a daffodil; they can be a bit
disappointed when the reality is shown them. But yellow markings make for a
very pretty snowdrop and variants such as G. nivalis Sandersii Group, G.
plicatus 'Wendy's Gold' and G. elwesii 'Carolyn Elwes' are very popular.
Another rare variation is for the inner segments to lack any markings;
these are known as albinoes. Not uncommon is the situation where the
characteristic inner segments are replaced by what appear to be outer
segments - longer and pure white, with no green markings or notch. Such are
referred to as poculiforms, a curious word derived from the Latin for a
little cup, often shortened by galanthophiles to 'pocs.'
The outer segments may have green markings on them, usually close to the
tip, but sometimes spreading over the entire segment. Green-tipped plants
were formerly regarded as rather rare freaks, but it is becoming apparent
that they are a normal part of snowdrop variation and not all that unusual
in wild populations. The best known remains G. nivalis 'Viridapice', a
vigorous plant and a good doer that is now often available in the dry bulb
catalogues. Similar, but differing in its elongated, leafy spathe valves is
the amusing 'Scharlockii'. The two sometimes intergrade. In G. elwesii,
'Comet' has good green tips in some years, but not at all in others; the
feature is erratic in appearance in this species. 'Comet' is excellent
regardless, having large flowers held on elongated pedicels.
A long pedicel is usually regarded as adding elegance to the flower.
'Magnet' was the first of this kind to be named, and now, at over 100 years
of age, it is still going strong. 'Galatea' is another good one; the angle
of kink in the pedicel is what tells them apart.
Double flowered snowdrops have been known for 300 years or more, in the
shape of G. nivalis 'Flore Pleno', a wonderfully vigorous plant that
spreads through woodland almost as easily as its single counterpart. it is
sometimes scoffed at by purists who think its multiplication of inner
segments is messy, but as a garden plant it is excellent. Although it does
not set seed, its pollen is fertile and it is believed that almost all
double snowdrop hybrids are descended from it. These include the series
known as Greatorex doubles, deliberately raised from 'Flore Pleno' pollen
on a G. plicatus stigma, and the beautiful 'Hill Poe' with 5 outer segments
and perfectly whorled inner segments. The Greatorex Doubles are mostly
named after Shakespearian heroines, 'Ophelia', 'Desdemona', 'Titania' and
the like and are rather difficult to identify. They are all good vigorous
plants, however. Choice things often arise when 'Flore Pleno' crosses with
G. elwesii, including the neat round flowers of 'Richard Ayres' and 'Mrs
Wrightson's Double'.
In addition to the floral characteristics, the leaves of snowdrops are
important for achieving an identification. G. nivalis and its allies tend
to have narrow leaves with parallel margins; a feature known as applanate
vernation. In G. plicatus, which can have rather broader leaves, the edge
of the leaf is neatly folded back under the blade - explicative vernation,
most clearly seen when the leaves are young, or later, at their base. In G.
elwesii and its allies, the leaves are arranged so that the outer one wraps
around the inner, giving two crescents if the shoot were to be cut in
transverse section. This is supervolute vernation. (Vernation is the word
for the arrangement of leaves in bud). In pure species these categories are
very reliable and give an immediate indication of what it may, or cannot
be. In hybrids, however, things become more complicated, because the
various patterns combine in sometimes odd ways. For example, in 'S.Arnott',
a classic hybrid between G. nivalis and G. plicatus, one margin of the four
possible on two linear leaves is explicative, i.e. folded back, while
'George Elwes', a cross between G. plicatus x G. elwesii.has supervolute
vernation, but the inner leaf has explicative margins!
While these are the details that must be looked for and appreciated as a
good galanthophile, it is important never to lose sight of snowdrops as
objects of beauty. I fear that some of my galanthophilic friends are so
busy inspecting inner segments and leaf margins that they are blind to the
beauty of the plants they are looking at, but not seeing. Freaks and
curiosities are all very well, but what is more important is that
hard-to-define entity, 'a good garden plant.' I have my own ideas, but it
would be more interesting if Alpine-Elves would suggest their own 5 or 10
best garden snowdrops during the course of this week. I am sure that the
selection will be interesting.
For further reading on snowdrops, I can only recommend Snowdrops, by Matt
Bishop, Aaron Davis and myself, published by the Griffin Press. It is
available from the NARGS bookstore, AGS Publications and the RHS bookshop,
which are probably the easiest sources of copies for gardeners. As an
insider trading tip, stocks are diminishing quickly, and there are no plans
to reprint.
The book 'Snowdrops', The Griffin Press, is available in the US from Arnold
Trachtenberg (with email address shown in a way to avoid spam), arnold at
nj.rr.com.
And the earlier book, The Genus Galanthus by A.P. Davis from Roy. Bot.
Gard., Kew and Timber Press.
John Grimshaw
Gardens Cottage, Colesbourne
Nr Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
England
Website:
<http://www.colesbournegardens.org.uk/>http://www.colesbournegardens.org/.<http://www.com/
.colesbournegardens.org.uk>uk
--
Dr. James W. Waddick
8871 NW Brostrom Rd.
Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711
USA
Ph. 816-746-1949
E-fax 419-781-8594
Zone 5 Record low -23F
Summer 100F +