Hi, need info on what I was sure were lily of the valley. I didn't get a pic but can.
The house that we will be moving into has the sweetest plant that I thought was lily of the valley. I've never grown them but my GF did and that was the last time I saw them ('74) except in magazines.
I looked them up to get info on growing them and the leaves are wider online
The ones growing in the yard have the exact sweet little flowers but the leaves are more like paper whites. Are they not lily of the valley?
One of the elderly neighbors says they are and have been planted since she can remember. The house was built in 1932.
Thanks for any help

Probably Leucojum, common name, Snowflake. I grew them in Austin and they did very well. If I had room in this garden, I would plant them again.

Request: How do I post a picture from the plant database? Thanks.

@SALL20, thank you
If you ever get room, I will gladly send you some
Sorry, I can't help with the pic posting

@SALL20, thank you
If you ever get room, I will gladly send you some
Okay, I don't know if this is the official way to post a pic but I right clicked on pic and went to copy link location and then pasted that on the post and it worked.
Hope I was clear enough

Sorry about double post

Leucojum was my first thought too- the blooms are very similar to Lily of the valley.

Sondra, when you expand a photo from the data base, just above the photo it says "ATP BB Code [.............]" Copy the brackets and the info between them and paste it into the post where you want to see the photo.

@gemini_sage, thank you

I need to ask when would be the best time to move them, there is some serious plumbing work that will be happening right where they are
Thanks again

Ideally the bulbs should be dug just as the foliage starts to yellow and die off in late spring, like when dividing daffodils (same family). Then they can be spread out to dry. After drying the leaves fall away easily and the bulbs can be stored in a dry place till fall when they can be re-planted. I use mesh onion bags and hang them in a garden shed.

If you have to move them while they're in active growth, I would recommend getting as much of a root ball as possible and gently placing them in a holding spot. Sometimes disturbing bulb plants while in active growth sets them back a year, but if there isn't too much root damage they should be okay.

Thank you, for the info, they probably won't need to be moved right away but just in case thanks for including all info

I agree, both with letting the foliage die back and/ or moving as a clump. Maybe it's because I am in a warmer climate, but I never hold my bulbs out of the ground for any length of time. I just decide where I want to move them to and do it. I do try to let the foliage die back when possible, but if I can't or don't want to wait, I just dig up the whole clump. I don't grow anything that requires a winter chill.

Most bulbs are fine to be moved directly to a new spot in the garden. There are a few that are susceptible to rot while they're dormant if the new home is moist during the summer- mostly an issue with tulips, hyacinths, and some daffodil varieties. I haven't tested leucojum, but I prefer to err on the side of caution.

I am in zone 8b as the op is. My husband has dug and moved them in full bloom before. As a matter of fact i have a huge clump in a pot that were dug up about 2 weeks ago and are blooming now. They are waiting until he finishes burying a drainage pipe to be replanted. Summer Snowflake is what you have and i have found they are very forgiving plants.

I believe I've heard they're moisture tolerant. Come to think of it, mine were given to me in bloom- a friend had dug a start from a clump and potted it and it didn't miss a beat.

I remember seeing these leucojum aestivum around old home sites deep in the woods. I dug and planted some snow drops. Found a year ago, I believe they have already spread. Have Crocus blooming and the garden is finally awakening.