Galanthus ‘Anne of Geierstein'

A handsome and unusually substantial old snowdrop, with thick, almost waxy outer segments that give the flowers a particularly solid appearance. The rounded blooms are held above bluish, arching foliage, while the inner segments carry a neat dark-green inverted V, sometimes accompanied by lighter green markings towards the base. A relatively late-flowering cultivar, its sturdy flowers can remain attractive for an extended period.

‘Anne of Geierstein’ has a particularly interesting pedigree. It was raised by James Allen as a seedling of Galanthus plicatus before 1913 and named by William Thomson, the name taken from the heroine of Sir Walter Scott’s 1829 novel Anne of Geierstein, or The Maiden of the Mist. The cultivar is sometimes described simply as G. plicatus, although its exact historical parentage has been debated; E. A. Bowles considered it to be a hybrid between G. plicatus and G. nivalis. 

A splendid choice for the collector of historic snowdrops, particularly where a late, strongly built flower is wanted. Best grown in humus-rich, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil in partial shade.

• Hardy to at least H6 (-20 to -15°C).
• Height: 15–20cm; spread: 10–15cm.
• Flowers: February–March.
• Origin: Raised by James Allen; named by William Thomson, before 1913.
• Parentage: G. plicatus seedling; possible G. plicatus × G. nivalis according to E. A. Bowles.
• Name: From Sir Walter Scott’s Anne of Geierstein (1829).