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Spring white flower is an early flowering bulbous plant, which is a member of the Amaryllis family. It is often confused with a snowdrop, but these are completely different cultures. This perennial is found in the forest, but if desired, it can be grown in your backyard. And then every spring it will delight with its snow-white flowers, when many plants are just waking up after hibernation. Sometimes the spring white flower is also called 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 the width is not more than 3 cm.
The leaves of the spring white flower begin to grow simultaneously with the peduncle, and finish after it withers. Every year, the plant forms 2-3 lower scales, between which the 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 is a kidney of renewal.
Every year in the spring, an active vegetation of the plant begins, and by mid-summer, its aerial part dries out 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 membranous white scales of a closed type. In the process of growth and flowering, additional roots grow on the bottom of the bulb, which subsequently die off.
Bell-shaped drooping flowers of spring colchicum bloom on bare peduncles that 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 on the same level. When fully opened, you can see a greenish pistil in the center and 5-6 stamens with yellowish anthers.
The flowering period of the spring white flower begins in April and lasts 20-30 days. At the end of its perennial forms fruits in the form of a fleshy rounded box. Inside it are black oblong seeds.
At the end of each petal, the spring white flower has 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.
The 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
Under natural conditions, spring white flowers can be found on the edges of beech, oak and ash forests. The perennial also grows along streams, in lowlands and ravines, where the soil always remains moist.
Spring white flower is common 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 have significant differences. They can only be confused from a distance.
The spring white flower flower consists of 6 equal petals of the same size. At the same time, at the end of each there is a peculiar yellow or green mark, which is a characteristic difference.
Spring whiteflower blooms 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 elongated-oval and much larger in size. And the rest forms the inner corolla in the form of a crown. They are smaller and have spots.
Snowdrop flowers do not smell, unlike spring white flowers
Methods of reproduction
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, it is necessary to dig spring colchicum in July-August, when the plant is at rest. Then carefully divide the nests, and dry the children. After that, land on a permanent place.
The seed method of reproduction 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 of leukoyum, immediately plant them in the ground, as 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 spring white flowers
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. Bulbs should be dense, 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. At the same time, 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.
Spring white flowers should be planted 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. After that, sprinkle with earth and water abundantly.
Spring white flower care consists in regularly loosening the soil and removing weeds so that they do not take away nutrients. It is also necessary to water during periods of drought until the plant has gone into a dormant stage.
It is necessary to fertilize the spring white flower once a year during the growing season. To do this, use nitroamofoska at the rate of 1 g per 30 liters of water and sprinkle with wood ash next to it.
For the winter of planting perennials, sprinkle with fallen leaves.
Pests and diseases
The spring belotsvetnik, like all bulbous crops, is subject to attack by pests. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically inspect the plant for an appearance in order to take urgent measures.
Possible problems:
- Butterfly owl. Damage to the plant is caused by voracious larvae of this pest. They feed on flower stalks and leaves of the spring white flower, can cause death. For destruction, use Actellik.
- Slugs. The pest is nocturnal, which makes it difficult to deal with it. It feeds on the leaves of the plant, which significantly reduces the decorative effect. To scare away, you need to sprinkle the spring white flower plantings with wood ash, tobacco dust.
- Root nematode. A transparent worm up to 1 cm long. It penetrates the bulb and eats out moves in it. Damaged areas rot over time. For treatment, you need to forge a diseased plant and place the bulbs in a solution of the Confidor Extra insecticide for 30 minutes.
The spring belotsvetnik 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 has switched to neighboring crops.
What plants can and cannot be planted with
Spring white flowers must 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 blueberries, muscari, swamp iris, tulips. Not bad grow near daffodils, crocuses, primrose and hyacinths.
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 please 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, as any store can offer a wide range of spring white flower bulbs, which are specially grown for this purpose.
