By David P. Davis
Newsroom@DominionPost.com
This week at the West Virginia Botanic Garden, 1061 Tyrone Rd., you will find many of the flowers we have covered so far this season in full bloom, especially the Lenten rose, daffodils and grape hyacinth.
Today we will focus on two spring bulbs that are just beginning to bloom, the summer snowflake and Persian lily.
Summer snowflake, Leucojum aestivum, is a bulbous perennial in the family Amaryllidaceae, the same family as daffodils. It is native to Europe and can naturalize or spread readily if located in an area that is wet in the spring. Mulching in summer is recommended to keep the ground moist and cool.
Summer snowflake has dark, grassy leaves about a foot long and an inch wide. Blooms are white and bell-shaped, and petals have a spot of green at the tip. At the WVBG, you can see them now in the bed near the host shelter in the lower parking lot, or in the Butterfly Garden.
Unfortunately, last week’s low temperatures did damage those that were blooming, but hopefully, with this week’s warmer temperatures, they will bounce back and provide a good show.
The Persian lily, Fritillaria persica, is in the lily family Liliaceae. It is native to the Middle East and grows to about two feet in height. It has spiraling lance-like leaves, leading to a bloom that includes up to 30 bell-shaped flowers that are purple and green. It grows best in well-drained soils in full sun and likes hot, dry sites. To me, this is one of the WVBG’s most unusual flowers, and a nice population can be found in the Yagle Garden.
However, last week’s low temperatures did take a toll on these blooms as well and caused the lilies to droop. The lilies recovered, which resulted in S-shaped stems. Last year, the blooms of our Persian lilies were completely frozen-out and no blooms could be appreciated. Come and see them now, since you cannot count on blooms every year.
Plan your visit at WVBG.org and consider becoming a member!
