summer snowflake

The summer snowflake (Leucojum aestivum) is a small genus of flowering plants in the amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae). These perennial herbs grow from bulbs and have basal, linear leaves. They are closely related to snowdrops.

The plants produce nodding, bell-shaped flowers with six white tepals, often tipped with green or yellow. The fruit is a dry capsule. Summer snowflakes are cultivated as garden flowers and readily naturalize in many areas. They can be propagated by dividing the bulbs after the leaves die back in the summer. The summer snowflake is specifically known for its clusters of pure white flowers that bloom in late spring and early summer.12