Acis nicaeensis

DWARF FRENCH SNOWDROPS

Acis nicaeensis
DWARF FRENCH SNOWDROPS

Acis nicaeensis is a delightful, dwarf Snowdrop from France, obviously!
It is a rare bulb in Australia, but should be more often grown – as it ideally suits us as well as being so charming and pretty.

Ideal for Australian gardens with hot, dry summers & sharp winters

Because Acis nicaeensis is a native of the hot, dry hillsides of Provence in the south of France and Monaco.
So it is ideally suited to areas in Australia with a Mediterranean style climate of hot, dry summers and sharp winters, and sub-tropical areas.
It is now endangered in the wild because this little cutie has been picked and gathered by way too many French fans.

Pure white, fragrant stars that nod in the spring

The dear little Dwarf French Snowdrop has pure white flowers like flaring stars, that are also delightfully fragrant.
While it is a dwarf plant, growing to just 12-15cm high, it has quite large and showy starry blooms.
Flowering in mid to late spring, and with a sweet scent.
Each stem bears 1-3 blooms.

Charming & very hardy bulb

Acis nicaeensis is a charming and very hardy bulb, and a very low maintenance garden beauty.
It will lie dormant over summer (thus saving water), then sprout with the winter rains and bloom in the late spring, before resting again over summer.

Water-saving & frost hardy 

So it is a water saving plant, both frost and dry hardy.
All it requires is well-drained soil, and perhaps a helping of lime in acid soils – it is native to rocky, limestone hillsides, and perfectly happy to grow in sandy, gravel or rocky places.
And in Full Sun or Part Shade positions.

Happy to increase by bulb offsets or by self-seeding

Charming little Acis nicaeensis will happily increase by setting bulb offsets, and also by self-seeding, particularly in sandy or gravelly sites.
It is not invasive, and makes an ideal companion for summer blooming perennials and annuals.

Good companion for succession seasonal flowering

As it has neat, low foliage which dies away discreetly after blooming, without sprawling all over the emerging companion plants (like horrible Spanish Bluebells do).
So it is a friendly companion for succession flowering, charming all comers in late spring, then bowing out to leave the stage to the summer bloomers.

Resistant to deer & rabbits

Thankfully deer and rabbits do not like the taste of Dwarf French Snowdrops.

SEED SOWING ADVICE: Warm-Cold-Warm.

Acis nicaeensis seeds can be sown directly in the garden in late autumn or winter / or sown in punnets indoors at any time when you can provide suitable temperatures – for earlier plants.

Sow indoors for quick plants: First sow the seeds in a punnet on surface of good quality seed raising mix.
Now only just cover the seed with sieved seed mix or vermiculite.

Then thoroughly moisten by standing the punnet in a shallow water bath.
And allow the water to percolate up to the surface of the mix from the bottom.
This will ensure the mix is thoroughly moist but not drenched.

Label the punnet with the name and date sown.

For best germination

Place in a well lit position (not in any direct sunlight) at a temperature of approx. 18-22C for 2-4 weeks.
You can use a heat mat to maintain warm temperatures for this pre-conditioning warm stage.
And the punnet can be kept moist by misting from a spray water bottle.
Covering the punnet with a clear plastic cover, plastic bag, or glass will also help retain consistent moisture and prevent drying out.

Give a period of chilling

Now the seeds need a period of chilling (a pretend winter) – so after 2-4 weeks of warmth – wrap the sown, moist punnet in cling-wrap and place in the fridge (not freezer) for 4-6 weeks.

Then take out, unwrap punnet, and keep moist again in a well lit position.

Seeds need good light to sprout, but the punnet should not be in any direct sunlight.
Seeds germinate in approx. 14-30 days.

Or sow seeds directly in garden in autumn/winter and leave to get the required chilling from nature over winter, before germinating in the spring.

Seed Count: 2 seeds per packet (Seeds of this cutie are very scarce)

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