Leucojum vernum; was RE: Narcissus 'February Gold'
Jim McKenney (Wed, 10 Jan 2007 07:29:47 PST)

Jay Yourch wrote: "Now that I am sure that I don't have L. vernum, maybe
that's the one to try next..."

When you do, Jay, be aware of one peculiarity of Leucojum vernum: its bulbs
respond to drying very poorly.

Decades ago this species appeared infrequently in local retail nursery
autumnal bulb displays. I tried them several years in a row, always with the
same results: not one bulb grew.

My present stock of this species derives from a purchase of fifty bulbs in
the late 1980s. I obtained them from a local retail nursery on the day they
were unpacked from their supplier. The bulbs looked sound and showed no
obvious signs of desiccation.

I took them home, soaked them briefly, and planted them immediately. Out of
the fifty, about ten survived of which maybe five grew well. Those are the
ones I still have.

Freshly dug or properly stored bulbs are the way to go with this one - or
seed if you can get it.

Jim McKenney

jimmckenney@jimmckenney.com

Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, USDA zone 7, where the Lachenalia are
still providing lots of color and interest.

My Virtual Maryland Garden http://www.jimmckenney.com/

Webmaster Potomac Valley Chapter, NARGS

Editor PVC Bulletin http://www.pvcnargs.org/

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