Spring snowflake is a flowering bulb in the amaryllis family (Amaryllidoideae) native to central and southern Europe from Belgium to Ukraine. It has naturalized in other parts of Europe and the southeastern United States. Genus name comes from the Greek name for various scented white-flowered plants. The epithet means "of the spring". Spring snowflake will grow 8 inches to 1.5 feet tall and spreads by bulb offsets over time. It prefers fertile moist soil and will tolerate some boggy conditions. During the growing periods keep the soil consistently moist. Water can be reduced during the summer but apply mulch to retain moisture. Plant bulbs in full sun to partial shade 3 to 4 inches deep in fall. Divide the plants after the leaves have died or in the fall. The plant will send up several hollow scapes in late winter or early spring with one nodding white bell-shaped flower each. The dark green grass-like leaves appear at the same time. Spring snowflake will die down by summer. Received the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. Use this spring bulb in a woodland garden, in groups, along ponds or streams or in a container. The bulbs, stems and leaves are highly poisonous if ingested to humans and pets. Quick ID Hints perennial bulb dark green, 12-inch long, grass-like leaves 3 to 6 white, nodding bell-shaped flowers with 6 tepals per scape bloom tips are accented with lime-green the flower scape is hollow and 12 to 15 inches long Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems : This perennial bulb has no serious insect or disease problems. VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy, and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt)
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
Less than 12 inches
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 8 in. - 1 ft. 6 in. | Width: 0 ft. 4 in. - 0 ft. 6 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Erect
Texture
Fine
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Sheath; Simple
Leaf shape
Linear
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The leaves are erect, grass-like, dark green, and measure 12 inches long and 1 inch wide. The blade is linear and the base is sheath-like. They grow in a vase-shaped clump.
Flower color
Green; White
Flower value
Fragrant; Showy
Flower form
Umbel
Flower shape
Bell
Flower detail
Flowers in late winter to early spring. Several hollow4-10 inch scapes with 1 white nodding bell-shaped flower appear. They have 6 tepals with a greenish mark near the tip.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit detail
The fruits are capsular, erect, and dehiscent. They have numerous black seeds.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
The scape is hollow and stout and 4-10 inches tall.