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Summer snowflake

How to identify Summer snowflake (Leucojum aestivum)

Summer snowflake

Summer snowflake is a bulbous perennial reaching heights of up to 24 inches (60 cm). It features a unique display of nodding, bell-shaped, white flowers, each distinguished by six tepals of equal length adorned with green markings at the tips. The linear, strap-like leaves can also grow up to 24 inches (60 cm). The scape, bearing 2-5 flowers, emerges with a single green bract at the terminus. Its growth habit includes an inferior ovary. Summer snowflake thrives in moist conditions during its growth phase and can survive drought during dormancy. Its ability to tolerate heavy decent shade and wet, clay soils makes it versatile for various garden settings.

Lifespan

Lifespan: Perennial

Plant Type

Plant Type: Herb

Leaf Type

Leaf Type: Deciduous

Quickly Identify Summer snowflake

1

Bell-shaped, white flowers with 6 equal-length tepals featuring green markings on tips.

2

Linear, strap-like leaves growing up to 24 inches (60 cm) in length.

3

Stout, hollow scapes around 0.2 inches (0.5 cm) in diameter, terminating with a single membranous bract.

4

Capsules with ovoid shape, 1-1.5 inches (2.5-3.8 cm) long, exhibiting dry, papery texture, and dehiscence with three seams.

5

Drooping, nodding flowers with short, slender pedicels and a faint scent, blooming in mid-spring.

Summer snowflakeSummer snowflakeSummer snowflakeSummer snowflakeSummer snowflake

Detailed Traits of Summer snowflake

Leaf Features

The leaves of summer snowflake are basal, emerging directly from the base of the plant. They are linear in shape, measuring between 2-3 inches (5-7.6 cm) in length. These leaves display a vibrant green color and have a smooth, glossy texture. The leaf veins run parallel along the entire length, providing structural support and aiding in nutrient transport. The tips of the leaves are pointed, contributing to their distinctive linear form.

Leaf Shape

Linear

Leaf Arrangement

Basal

Leaf Apex

Obtuse

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Flower Features

Summer snowflake flowers are campanulate, nodding, and faintly scented, blooming in mid-spring. Each flower has 2-7 white petals with 6 broad-oblong perianth segments, which are less than 1 inch (2.5 cm) in size and display an apical green mark. The flowers are drooping, and their pedicels are short and slender.

Summer snowflake Flower imageSummer snowflake Flower image
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Stem Features

Summer snowflake's scapes are stout and hollow, with a robust texture and a notable thickness, typically around 0.2 inches (0.5 cm) in diameter. The color is a vibrant green, indicative of its healthy and vigorous growth. These stems do not branch and are terminated by a single membranous bract, the spathe. The hollow nature of the scape provides structural strength while maintaining a lightweight form, essential for supporting the plant's flowering components.

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Fruit Features

The fruit of summer snowflake is a capsule, typically developing post-flowering. Capsules are generally green, transitioning to brown as they mature. They exhibit a roughly ovoid or elongated shape, with dimensions commonly reaching about 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm) in length. The surface texture is dry and papery, and upon maturation, these capsules will split open to release their seeds. The seeds inside are small, and the opening mechanism ensures wider dispersal. The characteristic dehiscence, with three seams along the capsule, aids in identification.

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Key Facts About Summer snowflake

Attributes of Summer snowflake
Lifespan
Perennial
Plant Type
Herb
Plant Height
30 cm to 60 cm
Spread
10 cm
Leaf Color
Green
Stem Color
Green
White
Leaf type
Deciduous
The Toxicity of Summer snowflake
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Scientific Classification of Summer snowflake

Family
Amaryllis
Icon allow
Species
Summer snowflake (Leucojum aestivum)
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Distribution Map of Summer snowflake

Summer snowflake is native to a broad area across Southern Europe to Western Asia. It has been introduced and naturalized in parts of Northern Europe and some temperate regions, including an island nation in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The species is also cultivated beyond its natural range for ornamental purposes.
Native
Cultivated
Invasive
Potentially invasive
Exotic
No species reported
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