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Herbaceous Perennial

Roscoea humeana 'Snowy Owl'

Hume roscoea 'Snowy Owl'

A tuberous perennial, to about 45cm tall, with strap-shaped pale green, veined upright leaves clasping the stem. Crisp white 3-petalled orchid or iris-like flowers are produced in loose clusters in the summer

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Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Clay

Loam

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Partial shade

Aspect

North–facing or West–facing or East–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Zingiberaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming, Columnar upright
Genus: Roscoea are tuberous perennials with arching, linear or lance-shaped leaves and showy orchid-like flowers in summer or autumn
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in humus-rich, moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil. A cool, sheltered site in partial shade is ideal; in very cold areas apply a deep winter mulch. If growing from a tuber, plant 15cm deep

Propagation

Propagate by seed in pots in a cold frame as soon as seed is ripe, or by division of tubers in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Patio and container plants
Rock garden
Flower borders and beds
Underplanting of roses and shrubs

Pruning

Remove faded flowers, the rest of the plant will die down naturally

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs and vine weevils

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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