[pbs] Leucojum vernum; was RE: Narcissus 'February Gold'
Jim McKenney
jimmckenney at jimmckenney.com
Wed Jan 10 10:29:47 EST 2007
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 at 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
Webmaster Potomac Lily Society http://www.potomaclilysociety.org
More information about the pbs
mailing list