Glory-of-the-snow

Questions about glory-of-the-snow

Does glory-of-the-snow need sun or shade?

Glory-of-the-snow grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day), part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun) and part shade (2 to 4 hours of sun, mostly in the morning).

It wants ordinary well-drained soil, of average fertility, and a good soak in dry spells.

What zones does glory-of-the-snow grow in?

USDA zones 3 to 8. It is hardy to zone 3, which means it survives winter nights down to about −30 °F (−34 °C).

Above zone 8 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does glory-of-the-snow flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers late March to mid April. As a spring flower it moves about a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer, later where it is colder.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should glory-of-the-snow be planted?

3 in (7 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 3 in (8 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 6 in (15 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many glory-of-the-snow plants do I need?

At 3 in apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 219 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 44 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 701 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as handfuls of five or seven, in the gaps between other plants.

In the bed above, the planner used 10 in two groups.

Is glory-of-the-snow poisonous to dogs and cats?

Yes: moderate toxicity to people, dogs, cats and horses. Treat it as poisonous if eaten: its close relatives, the squills, contain substances that affect the heart.

Rated from NC State Extension. Where references disagree, the more cautious rating is used.

Is there a pet-safe plant like glory-of-the-snow?

These come closest to doing what glory-of-the-snow does, and no toxicity is recorded for them:

• Striped squill: the same job in a bed, the same size, the same flowering time and the same colour.
• Spring starflower: the same job in a bed, the same size and the same colour; flowers early April to early May.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Will glory-of-the-snow spread?

It seeds itself about; the risk of it taking over is moderate. Multiplies by offsets and seed and spreads through a bed over time. It is easy to lift where it is not wanted.

What can I plant to hide glory-of-the-snow's leaves after it flowers?

A bulb's leaves have to be left to yellow for about six weeks after flowering, to feed next year's flowers. Plant it among perennials that come up late and spread wide, and they grow over the leaves as they fade:

• Hosta: 18 in tall and 2½ ft wide, a recorded partner, in flower mid July to mid August.
• Lady's mantle: 18 in tall and 24 in wide, in flower late May to early July.
• Catmint 'Walker's Low': 24 in tall and 2½ ft wide, in flower mid May to mid September.

What does glory-of-the-snow look like in winter?

Glory-of-the-snow is underground: it dies back after flowering and waits as a bulb until spring. Mark where it is, so a fork does not find it first.