Crowded snowdrops in the wild?

Fire

I have read that plants like snowdrops stop flowering when they multiply and get too cramped in one area. How does this work in the wild? It would seem to not be of any aid to the snowdrop.

fidgetbones

In my garden, if a clump get overcrowded, bulbs get pushed out of the clump,(they lie loose on the surface) and the squirrels carry them off and rebury them, if I don't pick them up and spread them around.

Hostafan1

Fire said:

I have read that plants like snowdrops stop flowering when they multiply and get too cramped in one area. How does this work in the wild? It would seem to not be of any aid to the snowdrop.

I don't know the answer, but once they've totally colonised an area , maybe the effort of producing flowers is a waste?

Lizzie27

I think perhaps that might be a bit of a old wives tale. Colesbourne and other places have thousands and thousands of them, all flowering their socks off last time we went.

madpenguin

Was wondering if old bulbs die off and decay and the flowers seen are from newer bulbs so there is a succession of sorts so they never really get overcrowded?

nutcutlet

It's an ongoing cycle of seed and decay. Young plants replace the old

Fire

Thanks all.