Günther's Site - Photos of European PlantsSpring Geophytes in the Park Island at Ludwigshafen / Rhine

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Spring Geophytes in the Park Island at Ludwigshafen / Rhine




In front flourishing white: Snowdrop Galanthus nivalis; in the center flourishing lilac: Woodland Crocus Crocus tommasinianus
Many different spring geophytes are growing on the Parkinsel (park island) in Ludwigshafen on the Rhine. Only the Alpine Squill Scilla bifolia, the Wood Anemone Anemone nemorosa, the Lesser Celandine Ficaria verna, two species of Violets, the Hollow-Root Corydalis cava, the Angular Solomon's Seal Polygonatum odoratum, and Ramsons Allium ursinum are native in the area, all others might have been planted, but this was up to 120 years ago. Over the decades, however, many of these plants have propagated and the populations increased self-reliant at least in the immediate vicinity of the plantings, so that large groups of several wild and planted species are existing today (in German such plants are called Stinsen Plants, I don't know whether there is an English word for it). The site came only into being when the Luitpoldhafen (a port) was built at the end of the 19th century. First a riparian wood developed there, called 'Mundenheimer Wäldchen' (Mundenheim copse). In 1900 the Ludwigshafen municipal council decided to create the city park there, which opened already in 1901. Geophytes are plants that have underground storage organs such as bulbs, tubers, or rhizomes, and therefore only need short time from the shoot to flowering. That's why spring geophytes are the plants that bloom first at the end of winter. The first plants to flower, in some years already in February, are Winter Aconite Eranthis hyemalis and Snowdrop Galanthus nivalis, both in large clusters.

Winter Aconite Eranthis hyemalis
Eranthis hyemalis / Winter Aconite Ranunculaceae / Buttercup Fam.	Eranthis hyemalis / Winter Aconite Ranunculaceae / Buttercup Fam.	Galanthus elwesii / Giant Snowdrop Amaryllidaceae / Amaryllis Fam.

Snowdrop Galanthus nivalis
Leucojum vernum / Spring Snowflake Amaryllidaceae / Amaryllis Fam.	Galanthus nivalis / Snowdrop Amaryllidaceae / Amaryllis Fam.	Galanthus elwesii / Giant Snowdrop Amaryllidaceae / Amaryllis Fam.
Crocus tommasinianus / Woodland Crocus, Tommasini's Crocus Iridaceae / Iris Fam.	Crocus tommasinianus / Woodland Crocus, Tommasini's Crocus Iridaceae / Iris Fam.
Crocus tommasinianus x vernus / Hybrid Crocus Iridaceae / Iris Fam.	Crocus tommasinianus x vernus / Hybrid Crocus Iridaceae / Iris Fam.	Crocus tommasinianus x vernus / Hybrid Crocus Iridaceae / Iris Fam.

Spring Crocus Crocus vernus s.l.
Crocus vernus s.l. / Spring Crocus Iridaceae / Iris Fam.	Crocus vernus s.l. / Spring Crocus Iridaceae / Iris Fam.	Crocus ancyrensis / Ankara Crocus Iridaceae / Iris Fam.
Crocus flavus / Yellow Crocus Iridaceae / Iris Fam.	Crocus chrysanthus / Snow Crocus, Golden Crocus Iridaceae / Iris Fam.	Crocus chrysanthus / Snow Crocus, Golden Crocus Iridaceae / Iris Fam.

Alpine Squill Scilla bifolia
Viola odorata / Sweet Violet Violaceae / Violet Fam.	Scilla bifolia / Alpine Squill Asparagacae / Asparagus Fam.	Scilla bifolia / Alpine Squill Asparagacae / Asparagus Fam. Color variant
Scilla bifolia x luciliae x siehei / Hybrid Scilla Asparagacae / Asparagus Fam.	Scilla bifolia x luciliae x siehei / Hybrid Scilla Asparagacae / Asparagus Fam.	Scilla mischtschenkoana / Early Scilla, White Squill Asparagacae / Asparagus Fam.
Scilla luciliae x siehei / Hybrid Squill Asparagacae / Asparagus Fam.	Scilla luciliae x siehei / Hybrid Squill Asparagacae / Asparagus Fam.	Scilla sardensis / Sardes Glory of the Snow Asparagacae / Asparagus Fam.
Scilla siberica agg. / Siberian Squill Asparagacae / Asparagus Fam.	Scilla siberica agg. / Siberian Squill Asparagacae / Asparagus Fam.	Scilla siberica agg. / Siberian Squill Asparagacae / Asparagus Fam. Color variant
Anemone nemorosa / Wood Anemone Ranunculaceae / Buttercup Fam.	Ficaria verna / Lesser Celandine Ranunculaceae / Buttercup Fam.	Viola reichenbachiana / Early Dog Violet Violaceae / Violet Fam.
Few weeks later the following spring geophytes are in flower:
Narcissus pseudonarcissus / Wild Daffodil Amaryllidaceae / Amaryllis Fam. Big-flowered bred form	Narcissus pseudonarcissus / Wild Daffodil Amaryllidaceae / Amaryllis Fam. Big-flowered bred form	Narcissus x cyclazetta / Daffodil tete-a-tete = Narcissus cyclamineus x tazetta Amaryllidaceae / Amaryllis Fam. Small-flowered bred form
Narcissus pseudonarcissus / Wild Daffodil Amaryllidaceae / Amaryllis Fam. Smaller-flowered bred form	Narcissus pseudonarcissus / Wild Daffodil Amaryllidaceae / Amaryllis Fam. Smaller-flowered bred form	Narcissus pseudonarcissus / Wild Daffodil Amaryllidaceae / Amaryllis Fam. Big-flowered bred form
Narcissus x incomparabilis / Non-Such Daffodil = Narcissus poeticus x pseudonarcissus Amaryllidaceae / Amaryllis Fam. Big-flowered bred form	Narcissus x incomparabilis / Non-Such Daffodil = Narcissus poeticus x pseudonarcissus Amaryllidaceae / Amaryllis Fam. Big-flowered bred form	Narcissus x incomparabilis / Non-Such Daffodil = Narcissus poeticus x pseudonarcissus Amaryllidaceae / Amaryllis Fam. Big-flowered bred form, double
Corydalis cava / Hollow-Root Papaveraceae / Poppy Fam.	Corydalis cava / Hollow-Root Papaveraceae / Poppy Fam.	Iris reticulata / Netted Iris, Dwarf Iris Iridaceae / Iris Fam.
Some weeks later, typically in April, some more spring geophytes are in flower:
Hyacinthus orientalis / Garden Hyacinth Asparagacae / Asparagus Fam.	Tulipa gesneriana / Garden Tulip, Didier's Tulip Liliaceae / Lily Fam.	Tulipa gesneriana / Garden Tulip, Didier's Tulip Liliaceae / Lily Fam. double
Epimedium x perralchicum / Frohnleiten Barren-Wort = Epimedium perralderianum x pinnatum subsp. colchicum Berberidaceae / Barberry Fam.	Epimedium x perralchicum / Frohnleiten Barren-Wort = Epimedium perralderianum x pinnatum subsp. colchicum Berberidaceae / Barberry Fam.	The Barren Worts of which a group is available are spring geophytes with rhizomes. This is the well-known artificial hybrid sort 'Frohnleiten'.
Muscari armeniacum / Armenian Grape Hyacinth Asparagacae / Asparagus Fam.	Allium ursinum / Ramsons Amaryllidaceae / Amaryllis Fam.	Polygonatum odoratum / Angular Solomon's Seal Asparagacae / Asparagus Fam.
Hyacinthoides hispanica x non-scripta / Bluebell Hybrid = Hyacinthoides x massartiana Asparagacae / Asparagus Fam.	Hyacinthoides hispanica x non-scripta / Bluebell Hybrid = Hyacinthoides x massartiana Asparagacae / Asparagus Fam.	Hyacinthoides non-scripta / English Bluebell Asparagacae / Asparagus Fam.
Ornithogalum angustifolium / Narrow-Leaved Star of Bethlehem Asparagacae / Asparagus Fam.	Ornithogalum angustifolium / Narrow-Leaved Star of Bethlehem Asparagacae / Asparagus Fam.
Tulipa spec1 ? / Tulip Liliaceae / Lily Fam.	Left: This small Tulip didn't bloom at least since the year 2021. Too shady ? Right: Also the Field Garlic which is available in big amounts in the meadow and at the bank of the Rhine, didn't bloom in 2021, which was probably caused by the flood of the Rhine.	Allium oleraceum / Field Garlic Amaryllidaceae / Amaryllis Fam.
Finally some spring impressions from the park island:

Wild Daffodil Narcissus pseudonarcissus big-flowered bred form

Spring Crocus Crocus vernus s.l.

Alpine Squill Scilla bifolia (flourishing blue) near the fore trees; in the background river Rhine and a transport ship, behind that Mannheim-Lindenhof

Siberian Squill Scilla siberica agg. (flourishing blue) near the fore tree

Winter Aconite Eranthis hyemalis
This list may probably not be complete yet. It will be continued on occasion.