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tedb_threecedarfarm

Winter Aconite & Snowdrops

I'm wondering if anyone has had good luck with Winter Aconite (Eranthis) or Snowdrops (Galanthus) around the Twin Cities. I always have a few snowdrops, but they never seem to really spread. I've planted Galanthus ikarie (sp?) rather then the more common nivalis and they seem more likely to make it through the 1st winter rather then just disappear.

I planted winter aconite fall of '05 and had a great show last spring, but now they seem to be gone. Any thoughts?

Ted

Comments (6)

  • Julie
    17 years ago

    I know what you mean-
    I have been playing with them myself- I have had the best luck with them in beds I just don't baby- or move things about too much.
    I have not seen any sign of mine yet- but I do believe they will appear- they are just slower to show in the beds that I have them in. The snow has been gone from one bed for a while- but we have not had warmth nor water enough for them to make a show in that bed. And the other 2 beds have either just recently become free of snow- and still have really frozen ground- or are still under snow.
    For me- they are not as early as some things are in other beds-
    Give them time- I am sure they will show up.

  • Julie
    17 years ago

    I wanted to let you know- I saw my galianthus in bloom this weekend in one of my beds- I bet yours will show soon!

  • tedb_threecedarfarm
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Julie -Thanks! What kind of exposure do you have yours in? I do have a few galanthus blooming. Last fall I decided to try G. elwesii - the giant snowdrop - again. The 1st time none came up at all. This time maybe about 1/3 have and they are supper cute. I also have a few left over from earlier plantings of other species.

    The real disapointment is the winter aconites - only 2 small clumps blooming after planting 100 bulbs in 2005. I just can't figure out where they'll be happy - except maybe farther south!

    I suppose I'll try them in a few other spots and hope one will take - I'm just addicted to anything that blooms super early!

    Ted

  • Julie
    17 years ago

    They are in the south part of the yard- and are shaded in the east by the neighbors HUGE pine tree- and directly in front (south) of them is a lilac- so they don't get sun till the afternoon but they get a solid dose of it!
    They are tucked into the front of a bed with Dwarf Mugos- a (native)plum tree- a (native)hazelnut shrub- a long soft needled 4 year old rescued unknown native pine and a rescued arborvitie - that when I planted all of these things in their bed- looked like there was way too much room between them, so I added a tree peony, some siberian iris, and little blue stem....
    I tossed fabric over it all and added chips to the top- and just prune and weed out the creeping charlie and the dandilions. I really do not touch the soil- and don't even bother to water any more. I figure I will leave them to battle it out as to who will survive-
    I wonder if drainage is the key- even in my mostly sandy black loam- I have a few places that will winter rot daffs and other plants and bulbs in the winter- but will not be moist enough to support ligularia in the summer....
    You know - you can always plant squill- mine are coming up blue in the lawn already- and in the beds where I originally planted them...

  • tedb_threecedarfarm
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Thanks for the info Julie - it does seem that the snowdrops want good winter drainage but not too dry in the summer. I wonder also if I have to many perennials competing with them in the summer.

    Squill I have plenty of also - and I love it - but I always am trying to get the earliest of the early. I guess I'm just impatient.

    Ted

  • lonemuchow
    16 years ago

    winter aconite or eranthis,take about 5 years from seeds to bloom, that's the way I have had the best luck, it sure is exciting after that long of a wait to see the first yellow heads.I got mine from my mom's yard as seeds, from Denmark and she lives on Erantis street.Hopefully this year I'll have quite a few, they are seeded under a large oaktree, nice leaf mulch, and in a bed that never gets worked other than the weeds.

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