Content
Spring white flower is an early flowering bulbous plant, which is a representative of the Amaryllis family. It is often confused with snowdrop, but these are completely different cultures. This perennial is found in the forest, but if you wish, you can grow it on your personal plot. And then every spring it will delight you with its snow-white flowers, when many plants only wake up after hibernation. Sometimes the spring white flower is also called a white violet.
White flowers exude a pleasant delicate aroma
Description of the spring white flower
This perennial reaches a height of 20 cm in the presence of favorable conditions. Spring white flower (Leucojum vernum) is distinguished by broad-linear leaves with a shiny surface. Their length reaches 25 cm, and their width is no more than 3 cm.
The leaves of the spring beetle flower begin to grow simultaneously with the peduncle, and finish after its withering. Annually, the plant forms 2-3 lower scales, between which leaf plates are laid for the next year. Some of them have a closed base and only one is open, since it is from it that the peduncle subsequently grows. Also, at the base of this plate, a renewal kidney is laid.
Every year in spring, the active vegetation of the plant begins, and by the middle of summer its aboveground part dries up completely, which means a transition to the dormant stage.
The underground part of the perennial is presented in the form of a bulb up to 3.5 cm long and about 2.5 cm in diameter. It consists of closed-type membranous white scales. In the process of growth and flowering, additional roots grow at the bottom of the bulb, which subsequently die off.
Bell-shaped drooping flowers of spring autumn spring bloom on bare peduncles, which grow up to 25 cm in height. They can be single and collected in small umbellate inflorescences of 2-3 pcs. The buds of the spring white flower are simple, they consist of 6 equal petals, which are located at the same level. When fully expanded, a greenish pistil and 5-6 stamens with yellowish anthers can be seen in the center.
The flowering period of the spring white flower begins in April and lasts 20-30 days. At the end, its perennial forms fruits in the form of a fleshy round box. Inside it are black oblong seeds.
At the end of each petal of the spring white flower there is a yellow or green spot
The plant is highly frost-resistant. Easily tolerates a drop in temperature to -30 degrees in the presence of snow cover.
Spring white flower prefers shaded areas, so it can be planted under the canopy of shrubs and trees, as well as in areas where moisture stagnates in spring. The composition of the soil for this plant is not important, the main thing is that the level of acidity is not high.
Where grows
In natural conditions, the spring white flower can be found on the edges of beech, oak and ash forests. Perennial also grows along streams, in lowlands and ravines, where the soil is always moist.
Spring white flower is widespread in:
- Turkey;
- Iran;
- North Africa;
- Central Europe.
It is also found in Ukraine, namely in the Carpathians and Transcarpathia, where it is listed in the Red Book.
Difference between white flower and snowdrop
These bulbous perennials are close relatives, but they have significant differences. They can only be confused at a distance.
The spring white flower consists of 6 equal petals of the same size. Moreover, at the end of each there is a kind of yellow or green mark, which is a characteristic difference.
Spring flowers bloom much later
Snowdrop or galanthus flowers also consist of 6 petals, but they differ in size and are at different levels. Three of them are external, which are oblong-oval and much larger in size. And the rest is formed by an inner rim in the form of a crown. They are smaller and have stains.
The flowers of the snowdrop do not smell, in contrast to the spring white flower
Reproduction methods
To get new seedlings of the spring white flower, you can use daughter bulbs that grow near the mother or seeds. The first breeding method is simple. To do this, you need to dig up the spring crocus in July-August, when the plant is dormant. Then carefully divide the nests and dry the babies. After that, land on a permanent place.
Seed propagation is more laborious and requires patience. But it allows you to get a large amount of planting material. To do this, it is necessary to collect the seeds of the white flower leukoyum, immediately plant it in the ground, since they remain viable for a short time. In winter, they will undergo natural stratification, which is necessary for future seedlings. Further care consists in timely weeding and watering.
Planting and caring for the spring white flower
You can plant bulbs in open ground from late July to mid-September. When buying planting material, you need to pay attention to their appearance. The bulbs must be firm, heavy, without mechanical damage.
Planting and further care for the spring white flower (photo below) does not require complex actions, so the plant will not cause much trouble to the grower.
For this perennial, you need to choose a shaded place under trees or shrubs. In this case, the soil should be nutritious with good moisture and air permeability. Therefore, 10 days before planting, you need to dig up the site and add humus, peat and sand to the soil, 5 liters per 1 sq. m.
It is necessary to plant the spring white flower in groups at a distance of 10 cm from each other. Planting depth should be equal to the height of the bulb multiplied by 2. Then sprinkle with earth and water abundantly.
Caring for the spring white flower consists in regularly loosening the soil and removing weeds so that they do not take up nutrients. It is also necessary to water during periods of drought, until the plant has passed into a dormant stage.
It is necessary to fertilize the spring white flower once a year during the growing season. To do this, use a nitroamophoska at the rate of 30 g per 10 liters of water and sprinkle it with wood ash nearby.
For the winter, planting a perennial should be sprinkled with fallen leaves.
Pests and diseases
Spring white flower, like all bulbous crops, is susceptible to pests. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically inspect the plant for an item from the appearance in order to take urgent measures.
Possible problems:
- A scoop butterfly. The plant is damaged by the voracious larvae of this pest. They feed on peduncles and leaves of the spring white flower, can cause death. For destruction you should use "Actellik".
- Slugs. The pest is nocturnal, which makes it difficult to fight it.It feeds on plant leaves, which significantly reduces decorative effect. To scare away, you need to sprinkle the plantings of the spring white flower with wood ash, tobacco dust.
- Root nematode. Transparent worm up to 1 cm long. Penetrates into the bulb and eats up the passages in it. Damaged areas will rot over time. For treatment, you need to forge a diseased plant and place the bulbs in a solution of Confidor Extra insecticide for 30 minutes.
Spring white flower is sometimes susceptible to viral diseases, which can be identified by red stripes on the leaves, which subsequently brighten and merge. Treatment in this case is useless, so you need to dig up the plant and burn it until the disease spreads to neighboring crops.
What plants can and can not be planted
Spring white flower should be planted with crops in which the root system deepens or does not grow much in diameter. This will allow them not to compete for food and moisture.
The best neighbors for this perennial can be woodlands, muscari, marsh iris, tulips. Daffodils, crocuses, primrose and hyacinths grow well nearby.
The flowering of these plants can successfully complement each other and make the spring flower bed bright and elegant.
Conclusion
Spring white flower is an elegant plant that can delight every year after winter. At the same time, it does not require complex care, which contributes to the growth of its popularity among beginners and experienced gardeners. To plant it on your site, you do not need to go to the forest, since any store can offer a wide range of spring white bulbs, which are specially grown for these purposes.
