Description
This is one of the largest flowered of the genus Sternbergia, the only white flowered species in the genus and the only sweetly-scented species.
It makes glistening, crystalline, pure white flowers from around February to perhaps April (depending on your climate and growing conditions). These have a strong scent of Freesia. Long grey leaves appear with the flowers. This makes a large bulb in time and to get to size it enjoys deep, rich, fertile soils. Grown like that it will offset freely when the mother bulbs are established. Like most Sternbergia, it does far less well in pots. The reasons for this is that pots overheat easily. Thus in pots, in the sun, the bulbs quickly become a bit hotter than they are used to. Out of the sun they rapidly become cooler, more so during the night and this wide temperature variation promotes splitting. Thus in pots, larger bulbs split to smaller bulbs, rather than keeping their size. Great for propagation but frustrating if you want to see them flower.
Originally discovered in limestone rocks at the edge of Cedar woods on Baba Dag, near Fethiye in Turkey, but now known to be more widespread across several other sites in S. Turkey.
Cultivated, propagated nursery stock which grows well and increases happily in a well-drained, loam-based compost with good drainage and a dry summer rest. Feeding should be given at every opportunity, to all Sternbergia.
For UK sales ONLY
NOT available for export to E.U., Japan, Norway, Switzerland, U.S.A. etc.
