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Leucojum aestivum 'Giant Snowflakes' - 10 bulbs
Scientific:
Leucojum aestivum 'Gravetye Giant'
Bulbs/Pack:
10 bulbs
Planting Time:
Fall or When Available
Shipping Period:
When Available
Bloom Period:
March
Bloom Size:
Cluster of Dime Sized
Zones:
5-9a
Color:
White
Soil:
Any
Fragrance:
None
Light:
Partial Shade to Full Sun
Height:
18-24"
Wildlife:
Not Resistant
Reliability:
Very Reliable
$20.00
We normally carry the heirloom "Snowflake" bulbs in stock, but we wanted to also offer the Leucojum aestivum "Gravetye Giant" bulbs which are called "Giant Snowflakes" by many. This is in the same genus and species as our heirloom "Snowflake" bulb but with a larger bloom. So the hallmark Leucojum look — the white bells with green tips — is the same on both. The main differences are size, vigor, and climate adaptation, not the color pattern.
The Leucojum aestivum is by far one the most adaptable bulbs ever offered in the South. Their ability to grow in sun or shade has made them a winner for woodland settings, roadside plantings, and great garden borders. Although individual blooms are smaller in stature, they are so numerous that they cover more area than larger blooms could ever hope to fill. The blooms are accented by sturdy bluish-green foliage and slight green spots on the tips of each petal. When people tell us they "can't grow bulbs," we tell them to try Snowflakes.
Scott Ogden in his book Garden Bulbs for the South says this bulb "positively thrives in the South, and you could hardly ask for a more appealing spring flower." Most spring-blooming bulbs are good only down to zone 8 or good for zones 8-10. The Leucojum aestivum 'Giant', however, works great in zones 5-9! This fanciful bloom may look delicate, but this bulb is hardy, reliable, and vigorous.
Blooms: These petite blooms look like bells and are only about the size of a dime. Each bloom has six little petals that each have a tiny green spot on the tip. If you plant the bulbs in groups of 4-6 then the foliage seems to "clump up" and the blooms seem to float on a sea of green. The height of these blooms is only about 18-24 inches and have slightly more petals per "bell" than the heirloom Snowflake. On top of their unique beauty, they have a lightly sweet fragrance for you to enjoy.Their ability to grow in sun or shade has made them a winner for woodland settings, roadside plantings, and great garden borders. Although individual blooms are smaller in stature, they are so numerous that they covered more area than larger blooms could ever hope to fill. The blooms are accented by sturdy bluish-green foliage and slight green spots on the tips of each petal.
Planting: In the spring, we ship this bulb "in the green" which means that it still has its foliage on. Be sure to plant it and let the foliage die back naturally before cutting it off. The rest of the year you will receive just the bulb. Plant the bulb 2-3 times deep the size of the bulb. As long as you plant them where they will receive 6+ hours of sunlight during the winter months, you can honestly simply plant the bulbs and forget about them. Plant the bulbs 2-3x the depth of the bulb. In other words, if the bulb is 1 inch tall, plant it 2-3 inches deep.
Leucojum Comparison: ‘Gravetye Giant’ vs. Heirloom Southern Snowflake
| Feature | ‘Gravetye Giant’ | Heirloom Southern Snowflake |
|---|---|---|
| Flower Size & Form | Larger, showier flowers; often 7+ florets per stem; considered the premium form | Smaller, more delicate blooms; usually 4–6 florets; classic Southern pass-along |
| Height | 18–24 inches; tall, sturdy stems | 12–18 inches; shorter and excellent for naturalizing |
| Bloom Time | Early–mid spring; may bloom slightly later and last longer | Early–mid spring; often blooms earlier in warm Southern winters |
| Heat & Southern Reliability | Vigorous, but slightly less heat-tolerant; prefers well-drained soil and part sun | Legendary Southern survivor; thrives in heat, humidity, clay, wet springs, and drought summers; great “set-and-forget” bulb |
| Green Dots on Petals | ✔️ Yes | ✔️ Yes |
| Growing Zones | Zones 4–9a (thrives in cooler spring climates, does well in the upper South) | Zones 6–10 (exceptional performance in the Deep South; very heat-tolerant) |
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Details
We normally carry the heirloom "Snowflake" bulbs in stock, but we wanted to also offer the Leucojum aestivum "Gravetye Giant" bulbs which are called "Giant Snowflakes" by many. This is in the same genus and species as our heirloom "Snowflake" bulb but with a larger bloom. So the hallmark Leucojum look — the white bells with green tips — is the same on both. The main differences are size, vigor, and climate adaptation, not the color pattern.
The Leucojum aestivum is by far one the most adaptable bulbs ever offered in the South. Their ability to grow in sun or shade has made them a winner for woodland settings, roadside plantings, and great garden borders. Although individual blooms are smaller in stature, they are so numerous that they cover more area than larger blooms could ever hope to fill. The blooms are accented by sturdy bluish-green foliage and slight green spots on the tips of each petal. When people tell us they "can't grow bulbs," we tell them to try Snowflakes.
Scott Ogden in his book Garden Bulbs for the South says this bulb "positively thrives in the South, and you could hardly ask for a more appealing spring flower." Most spring-blooming bulbs are good only down to zone 8 or good for zones 8-10. The Leucojum aestivum 'Giant', however, works great in zones 5-9! This fanciful bloom may look delicate, but this bulb is hardy, reliable, and vigorous.
Blooms: These petite blooms look like bells and are only about the size of a dime. Each bloom has six little petals that each have a tiny green spot on the tip. If you plant the bulbs in groups of 4-6 then the foliage seems to "clump up" and the blooms seem to float on a sea of green. The height of these blooms is only about 18-24 inches and have slightly more petals per "bell" than the heirloom Snowflake. On top of their unique beauty, they have a lightly sweet fragrance for you to enjoy.Their ability to grow in sun or shade has made them a winner for woodland settings, roadside plantings, and great garden borders. Although individual blooms are smaller in stature, they are so numerous that they covered more area than larger blooms could ever hope to fill. The blooms are accented by sturdy bluish-green foliage and slight green spots on the tips of each petal.
Planting: In the spring, we ship this bulb "in the green" which means that it still has its foliage on. Be sure to plant it and let the foliage die back naturally before cutting it off. The rest of the year you will receive just the bulb. Plant the bulb 2-3 times deep the size of the bulb. As long as you plant them where they will receive 6+ hours of sunlight during the winter months, you can honestly simply plant the bulbs and forget about them. Plant the bulbs 2-3x the depth of the bulb. In other words, if the bulb is 1 inch tall, plant it 2-3 inches deep.
Leucojum Comparison: ‘Gravetye Giant’ vs. Heirloom Southern Snowflake
| Feature | ‘Gravetye Giant’ | Heirloom Southern Snowflake |
|---|---|---|
| Flower Size & Form | Larger, showier flowers; often 7+ florets per stem; considered the premium form | Smaller, more delicate blooms; usually 4–6 florets; classic Southern pass-along |
| Height | 18–24 inches; tall, sturdy stems | 12–18 inches; shorter and excellent for naturalizing |
| Bloom Time | Early–mid spring; may bloom slightly later and last longer | Early–mid spring; often blooms earlier in warm Southern winters |
| Heat & Southern Reliability | Vigorous, but slightly less heat-tolerant; prefers well-drained soil and part sun | Legendary Southern survivor; thrives in heat, humidity, clay, wet springs, and drought summers; great “set-and-forget” bulb |
| Green Dots on Petals | ✔️ Yes | ✔️ Yes |
| Growing Zones | Zones 4–9a (thrives in cooler spring climates, does well in the upper South) | Zones 6–10 (exceptional performance in the Deep South; very heat-tolerant) |
