Crop Rotation Group
Miscellaneous
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Soil
Fertile soil that holds moisture well.
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Position
Full sun to partial shade.
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Frost tolerant
Yes, leucojums are hardy perennial bulbs, tolerating cold to -30°F (-34°C).
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Feeding
The need to feed leucojums depends on the site. In poor soil, feed plants with a balanced organic fertilizer in early spring when they are actively growing. Follow up with a granular bulb fertilizer in the autumn.
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Companions
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Spacing
Single Plants: 3" (10cm) each way (minimum)
Rows: 3" (10cm) with 3" (10cm) row gap (minimum)
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Sow and Plant
Plant dormant bulbs in groups of 3 or more in fall, after the soil has lost its summer warmth, covering them with 4 inches (10 cm) of soil. The bulbs will slowly grow roots through winter and bloom the following spring. Dig, divide and replant in summer, when the foliage turns yellow. It is best to replant leucojum bulbs immediately after digging them.
Our Garden Planning Tool can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.
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Notes
Leucojums bloom after daffodils, often alongside tulips. They naturalize easily along woodland edges where the soil stays moist, forming long-lived clumps. Nodding, bell-shaped leucojum flowers resemble snowdrops (Galanthus), but leucojum plants are larger and later blooming, with flowers borne on long stems.
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Harvesting
Gather stems for use in cut arrangements as you need them. Stems have a vase life of 10 days or more when trimmed and reset in clean water ever few days. Allow leucojum foliage time to grow after the flowers have gone to insure strong blooming the next year.
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Troubleshooting
Leucojums have few pest problems. Like other amaryllis cousins, the bulbs are resistant to rodents, rabbits and deer.
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