Snowdrops for Earliest Spring Flowers

Galanthus, commonly known as ‚”Snowdrops”, is a perennial flowering plant that grows from bulbs very early in spring. Often thought of as British native wildflowers, these tiny plants that only grow to four to six inches tall were actually introduced in Britain around the 16th century. They are very hardy natives of northern Europe, but now are naturalized throughout the northern hemisphere.

Snowdrop Flowers

Snowdrops appear first as two or three slender bright green leaves, pushing through still frozen ground and sometimes even snow. The flower stalk supports a white teardrop shaped blossom from which the common name is derived.

From the blossom comes a single bell-shaped flower than hangs downward. The flower, interestingly, has no actual petals. Instead the snowdrop flower is formed of six ‚”tepals” which function as both protection from the elements and attraction for pollinators. This is an ancient plant form that predates most flowering plants, but is still evident in tulips and lilies.

The inner flower is white and marked with a bright green ‚”horseshoe” or bar at the tip of each tepal.

Cultivating Snowdrops

Snowdrops are suitable to grow in the perennial border, woodland gardens or naturalized in fields or light forests. Because they bloom so early, Snowdrops will grow quite happily at the base of a deciduous tree that will not leaf out until after the Snowdrops have died back.

Snowdrops must have freezing winter temperatures for at least three weeks in winter in order to bloom. They are not suitable in regions where winters are generally warmer than 20 degrees F.

Snowdrops are planted ‚”green” because their tiny bulbs are so susceptible to drying out too quickly in storage and will not be able to establish themselves successfully. Nurseries tend to supply the bulbs in full leaf and with the bulb wrapped to preserve its freshness.

Plant Snowdrops in well worked soil where compost or leaf mulch has been dug into the soil. The bulbs are usually planted three to four inches deep and can be left without dividing for years.

Snowdrops are not easy to establish, but once they are, they will multiply rapidly. To divide or transplant Snowdrops, dig the bulbs up as soon as the ground is thawed and sufficiently dried to work and before the green has gone out of the Snowdrop leaves.

Gently pry the bulbs apart by had and replant singly in groups of five or more about two to three inches apart. Spread the bulb roots over a small bump in the planting hole and avoid using fertilizers. However, like all bulbs, a small amount of bone meal dug into the planting hole would help the new bulbs to get established.

Snowdrop Varieties

Snowdrops tend to look very much alike to all but the enthusiasts. There are over 100 species and cultivars of Galanthus, mostly distinguished by variations of the green marking inside the flower.

Galanthus nivalis is the most commonly found Snowdrop in North American gardens. But there are many others that bloom at different points in the early spring, and including some double flowering varieties.

Sources:

The Plant Expert

Garden Guides