James Allen (nurseryman)

James Allen (1830 – 1906), known as the "Snowdrop King,"^[1] was a nurseryman and galanthophile of Shepton Mallet, Somerset, United Kingdom, known principally for his hybridizations of snowdrops and anemones. He is credited with the discovery of Galanthus ×allenii (1883).^[2]

Allen spotted Galanthus ×allenii amongst a batch of bulbs that had been imported from the Caucasus. Originally classed as a species, this strongly scented snowdrop is now thought to be a hybrid. It is described as being "intermediate in appearance between G. caucasicus [ now G. elwesii var. monostictus ] and G. ikariae", and may be a natural hybrid between those species.

References

1. Cox, Freda (2013). Gardener's Guide to Snowdrops. Crowood. p. 288. ISBN 9781847975621. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
2. "The Garden". Journal of Horticulture and Practical Gardening: 213. March 1891.

Further sources

• Bulbs, Roger Phillips and Martin Rix, Pan Macmillan (1989) ISBN 0-330-30253-1
• RHS Plant Finder 2008–2009, Tony Lord (editor), Dorling Kindersley (2008) ISBN 978-1-4053-3190-6

External links

• Shepton Snowdrop Festival