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| The Genus Acis was only split from Leucojum
– summer snowflakes – recently. Both are related to the
much-loved snowdrops but differ in that all the perianth
segments (petals) are similar. In Galanthus the outer
three are markedly different to the inner three. Whereas
snowdrops have a devoted following of galanthophiles with
hundreds of named cultivars, Acis and Leucojum
are somewhat neglected and deserve to be better known. Leucojum
aestivum can in fact be found rarely in damp places in
Ireland. It is often an escape but it considered a native in
some places in the south. That and Leucojum vernum
are often seen in gardens here and are robust and beautiful
plants that thrive in wet places.
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| The Genus Acis is not seen so often.
The species comes from around the Mediterranean and unlike Leucojum
do better in hot summers that bake the soil. The only one
that does well outdoors with me is Acis autumnalis, which is
indifferent to soil types. I have it in boggy areas and also
in raised beds. The dwarf white bells with a rosy hue at the
base have an elfin quality and two or three flowers may be
borne on a single 6/8 inch stem, usually before the
grass-like leaves appear.
Coming into flower in August they are a welcome
addition to any rock garden and it is easily raised from
seed (I raised mine from AGS seed). If it has a fault it is
that the leaves become untidy but a little judicious tidying
up now and then sees to that. There are three or four other
species. Acis rosea is equally desirable but only
bears a single rosy hued flower on each stem, so rarely
makes any impact. It requires perhaps hotter conditions to
thrive, although it survived outdoors with me last winter,
so is best in the greenhouse. It too is dwarf.
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