It is native to most of Europe from Spain and Ireland to Ukraine, with the exception of Scandinavia, Russia, Belarus and the Baltic countries.

In Britain, it has been recorded that flooding causes the stems to break and the fruits to be carried downstream and stranded in river debris or on flood-plains.

[12] The World Checklist of Selected Plant Families does not recognize any infraspecific taxa.

[2][14] L. aestivum is found in damp places, such as wet meadows, swamps, and ditches.

It requires a damp position, growing well on clay soils, where it increases rapidly.

Shorter and more compact than 'Gravetye Giant' at 50–60 cm (20–24 in), its flowers, 5–6 per stem, have tepals that are rounder and broader.

[12] All species of Leucojum are poisonous, as the leaves and bulbs contain the toxic alkaloids lycorine and galantamine.