Spring Snowflake

How to grow Spring Snowflake

Written by the GardenDecoded editorial team · Last reviewed 21 July 2026 · Written for UK gardens · How we research our guidance

Planting

Plant bulbs about 10 cm deep in early autumn, or move plants in the green after flowering, which establishes more reliably. It wants damper, heavier soil than a snowdrop and does well beside a pond or in a shaded border that never dries out.

Pruning

None. The broad strappy leaves persist well after flowering and must be left to die down.

Propagation

Divide clumps in late spring as the foliage fades, or immediately after flowering, replanting at once. It increases steadily but is not invasive.

Pests and diseases

Slugs and snails take the flowers in a mild wet spring. Otherwise largely trouble-free.

Value to wildlife

Early nectar for bumblebees and other insects flying in late winter.

Notes

Often mistaken for a large snowdrop, but the flowers are bell-shaped with six equal petals, each tipped with a green spot. This is the spring species; the taller summer snowflake, Leucojum aestivum, flowers in April and May despite the name.

This guidance was researched and written by GardenDecoded — see our editorial policy for how guides are checked and reviewed.

Other names for this plant

These names have all been used for Leucojum vernum but are no longer the accepted name. You may still meet them on old labels, in books, or in nursery catalogues.

Others in Leucojum