| Where the garden meets the wild | |||
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ACIS SNOWFLAKE, LEUCOJUM Amaryllidaceae (Amaryllis family) |
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| Return to Plants Index Bulbs Index | |||
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Acis autumnalis 'September Snow'. Photograph © Paige Woodward |
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| Acis
was lumped into Leucojum for more than a century, only to be
returned to genus status in 2004 through DNA analysis. All those large,
green-tipped, umbrella-like flowers remain in Leucojum, which,
to the surprise of no one, turns out to be much more closely related to Galanthus,
the snowdrops.
One of us is fond of Handel's Acis and Galatea and slides off into "Happy we" or "O, ruddier than the cherry" at the oddest moments. |
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Photograph © A.M.D. Hoog
Photograph © Paige Woodward |
Acis
autumnalis (L.)
Herb. 'September
Snow'. Elfin, nodding bells rise in September
on maroon stems to bloom
before their grasslike leaves appear.
The flowers of this new selection are almost pure white, unlike the typical
pinkish form. The seed capsules open in October for another decorative
show. This species is native
to dry scrub and meadows in W Europe and N Africa. Our bulbs, larger than
average, descend from material collected in 1983 by Henning Christiansen (HC
3372) in Portugal, at an altitude of 200 m (650'). This is a vigorous clone. Try
it in your rock garden. Height 15 cm ( 6"). Zone 5. Not available this season. |
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| This page was revised Feb. 22, 2008. | |||
