• Photo of Leucojum aestivum (Leucojum aestivums)

Plant Profile: Leucojum aestivum

Taxonomy: Leucojum aestivum

Names

Snowflake, Summer Snowflake

  • Photo of Leucojum aestivum (Leucojum aestivums)

Phonetic Spelling:lew-KOH-jum ES-tih-vum

Genus:Leucojum

Species:aestivum

Family:Amaryllidaceae

This perennial bulb can reach heights of up to 24 inches. Although commonly referred to as Summer Snowflake, its delicate, drooping flowers—white with green tips—actually bloom in mid-spring or late winter, not in summer. In comparison to G. nivalis, this species features tepals of similar dimensions. It spreads easily and is frequently used in various settings, including lawns, rock gardens, areas beneath deciduous trees, shrub borders, as ground cover, in woodland gardens, and flower beds. For optimal impact, it is best planted in groups. This plant thrives in heavy deciduous shade, withstands drought during its dormant phase, and requires moisture while actively growing. It also adapts well to wet and clay soils and is rarely affected by deer. For planting, autumn is the ideal season; bulbs should be buried 2 to 4 inches deep and spaced 6 inches apart.

**Quick Identification Tips:**

For further details on Leucojum, please refer to additional resources.

Leucojum aestivum Feature Summary

Leucojum aestivum Image Gallery

Tags

#white
#bulb
#white flowers
#green
#winter interest
#mass planting
#spreading
#deer resistant
#groundcover
#rock gardens
#cutting garden
#spring interest
#fantz
#spring flowering bulbs
#woodlands
#shrub borders
#lawns

Similar Plants

Leucojum aestivum is often confused with:

Leucojum aestivum Feature Summary

Attributes
Europe to North Iran
Perennial
Bulb
Fruit
This plant produces capsules.
Flowers
Flowers are campanulate, nodding, faintly scented, and have 2-7 petals. Pedicels are short and slender. There are 6 perianth segments that are broad-oblong, entire, mucronate, less than an inch in size, and have an apical green mark. They are drooping, white, and bloom in mid-spring.
White
Green
4-5 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
2-3 rays/petals
6 petals/rays
Leaves
Leaves are basal, linear, grow between 2-3" long.
1-3 inches
Stem
Scapes are stout, hollow, and are terminated by a spathe of 1 membrance bract.
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Herbaceous Perennial
Ground Cover
Bulb
Spreading
Cultural Conditions
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Moist
Occasionally Wet
Less than 12 inches
Landscape
Rock Garden
Border
Mass Planting
Drought
Deer
Wet Soil
Heavy Shade

Leucojum aestivum Attributes

Leucojum aestivum: Country Or Region Of Origin

Europe to North Iran

Leucojum aestivum: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Leucojum aestivum Fruit

Leucojum aestivum: Fruit Description

This plant produces capsules.

Leucojum aestivum: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Leucojum aestivum Flowers

Leucojum aestivum: Flower Description

Flowers are campanulate, nodding, faintly scented, and have 2-7 petals. Pedicels are short and slender. There are 6 perianth segments that are broad-oblong, entire, mucronate, less than an inch in size, and have an apical green mark. They are drooping, white, and bloom in mid-spring.

Leucojum aestivum: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Green
filter_vintage
White

Leucojum aestivum: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Leucojum aestivum: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Leucojum aestivum: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Leucojum aestivum: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Leucojum aestivum Leaves

Leucojum aestivum: Leaf Description

Leaves are basal, linear, grow between 2-3" long.

Leucojum aestivum: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Leucojum aestivum: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Leucojum aestivum: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Leucojum aestivum: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Leucojum aestivum: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Leucojum aestivum Stem

Leucojum aestivum: Stem Description

Scapes are stout, hollow, and are terminated by a spathe of 1 membrance bract.

Leucojum aestivum: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Leucojum aestivum Whole Plant Traits

Leucojum aestivum: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Leucojum aestivum: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Leucojum aestivum Cultural Conditions

Leucojum aestivum: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Leucojum aestivum: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Leucojum aestivum: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Leucojum aestivum: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Leucojum aestivum Landscape

Leucojum aestivum: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Leucojum aestivum: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Leucojum aestivum: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Leucojum aestivum: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland