How To Grow And Care For Summer Snowflakes

Refreshing temperatures remind me that autumn is near. I love autumn weather because, at last, I can escape my air-conditioned prison and garden outside in comfort. What will Grumpy be doing? Planting spring bulbs. And while most of you know about daffodils, tulips, crocus, and hyacinths, one spring bulb doesn’t get the widespread love it deserves: the snowflake.

Its official common name is “summer snowflake,” which is terribly misleading as it blooms in spring. It is native to Europe, where it’s been cultivated since at least 1594. Its botanical name, Leucojum aestivum, distinguishes it from the slightly earlier blooming spring snowflake, L. vernum. Summer snowflake is showier in bloom than its cousin, with drooping white blooms and clumping 12- to 24-inch-long foliage. It is also much more amenable to the mild winters we have in the South. Unlike many spring bulbs, it blooms reliably as far south as central Florida. Plant summer snowflake in the fall before the ground freezes, and you’ll be rewarded with dainty nodding flowers come spring.

Plant Attributes

Summer Snowflake Care

Plant your bulbs in the fall about 4 inches deep and 4 inches apart, preferably into well-drained soil. Plant bulbs with the pointed end up and root side down. Summer snowflakes look best when planted in bunches of six or more, in clumps that eventually spread into an impressive drift. The bulbs require little care after they are planted in the fall. Snowflakes thrive in most conditions, tolerating sun, partial shade, hot and cold climates, rich soils and clay, wet streambanks, deer, and even black walnut trees. The plant has not been categorized as invasive in any state, though it naturalizes easily, producing bulb offsets and spreading into wooded areas.

Light

Summer snowflake does well in either full sun or light shade and can be planted under a tree in dappled shade or part shade. Unlike daffodils, its stems don’t lean towards the sun, but always stand straight up, so it’s pretty viewed from any side.

Soil

Summer snowflake grows best in well-drained, rich soils with medium moisture, but is quite tolerant of many conditions. Snowflakes can adapt to clay as well as moist soils along a streambank or pond—just make certain to plant the bulbs above the waterline.

Water

Snowflakes need consistent moisture while growing and blooming in the late winter and spring. Water if the soil dries out during the period your flowers are actively growing. Once they go dormant in summer, snowflakes can tolerate moderately dry soil. A 2-inch layer of mulch is helpful in retaining moisture in a location that is hot and dry in summer.

Temperature And Humidity

Snowflakes are adapted to USDA Zones 4 to 9 (that’s most of the U.S. down to the Gulf Coast). They aren’t bothered by humidity but require extra care and watering in a dry climate.

Fertilizer

Snowflakes aren’t fussy and don’t generally require fertilizer, though they do best in rich soil. Consider adding compost or bulb fertilizer at the time of planting. If you would like to enrich the soil, you can add compost on top of the soil each year after the plants wither away.

Types Of Summer Snowflakes

The plain vanilla summer snowflake sports 18-inch stems, each carrying three to five, 1-inch, bell-shaped blooms with a green dot on the tip of each petal.

L. aestivum ‘Gravetye Giant’5 is a stately heirloom selection named for the estate of famous 19th-century garden writer and designer William Robinson. It is the only known cultivar of the plant. Shown above, it’s taller with larger blooms than the summer snowflake, and bears as many as nine flowers per stem.

Pruning

If you prefer to keep your garden neat and tidy, you can remove spent flowers from the plants. Allow the foliage to continue growing until it withers away, at which point you can remove it. Leaving the foliage to yellow allows it to provide nutrients to the soil. Planting other perennials or ferns around your snowflakes can help to hide the dying foliage.

Propagating Summer Snowflake

Deer and rodents will not eat snowflakes, so these long-lived treasures increase in numbers over time. Summer snowflakes prefer to be left undisturbed, but you can dig up, divide, and replant the bulbs if they outgrow their space. Clumps should be divided in early summer or fall about every five years. Should you be the sharing sort, bestow extras on friends and family. Here’s how to divide them:

1. Wait until the foliage has turned yellow before you dig up a clump.
2. Use a shovel to dig up the entire clump and lift it from the ground.
3. Separate the bulbs, throwing away any blemished or diseased ones.
4. Replant the separated bulbs 4 to 6 inches deep about every 4 to 6 inches apart.
5. Water well.

How To Grow Summer Snowflake From Seed

Most gardeners prefer to propagate summer snowflake through division. If you want to plant seeds, here’s how.

1. Collect mature seeds from the flowers before they disperse.
2. If storing, give the seeds two to three months of cold stratification to encourage germination. Or sow the seeds directly after harvesting.
3. Sow seeds in small pots in seed-starting mix. Cover lightly with soil.
4. Water enough to keep the soil moist and warm.
5. Allow them to grow undisturbed in their pots for one year.
6. Once large enough, transfer two to three small bulbs into each pot and let grow for two or three years before planting in the ground.

Potting And Repotting

Potting summer snowflake isn’t recommended because bulbs in containers are subject to fluctuating temperatures, freezing, and thawing, which can cause harm. They grow best when planted in the ground where they are undisturbed.

Overwintering

Summer snowflake bulbs don’t require overwintering because they require a period of cold weather to regrow in the spring. Indoor temperatures are too warm.

Common Pests & Plant Diseases

Summer snowflake is generally resistant to pests and diseases, but it can have issues caused by slugs, snails, and squirrels. Squirrels may eat the unopened flower buds, which can reduce the amount of blooms. Snails and slugs may eat the leaves. Remove them by hand or create a barrier of oyster shells around the base of the plant.

How To Get Summer Snowflake To Bloom

Summer snowflake is a dependable and low-maintenance plant that should flower without special care. It does require sunlight to bloom, so don’t plant the bulbs in deep shade.1 Deadheading is not necessary on this plant. Blooms appear in late winter in the warmest climates up to early June in the coldest, so patience may be all that is required if your plant hasn’t bloomed yet. Like daffodils, snowflakes make an excellent cut flower. By spring bulb standards, it stays in bloom a long time—a couple of weeks.

Common Problems With Summer Snowflake

Like many plants, summer snowflake can be susceptible to problems with too much or too little water. If you notice dropping, drooping, or yellowing leaves, act fast and adjust the plant’s water.

Yellowing Leaves

If you notice yellow leaves, mushy stems, or soggy roots, let the soil dry out. Prune away any dead or damaged pieces. Try moving the plant to a spot with well-draining soil and plenty of airflow.

Drooping Leaves

If your plant has drooping leaves, is wilting, or the soil is crumbly, it may be thirsty. Increase the amount of water and water when the top inch of soil is dry. Keep the soil moist.

After hearing how easy and dependable these plants are, you naturally want some summer snowflakes for your own garden. If you can’t find the bulbs locally, you can purchase them by mail. Trusted sources include White Flower Farm, Brent & Becky’s Bulbs, and John Scheepers.