- CATEGORY : GALANTHUS NIVALIS
- VARIETY : SINGLE SNOWDROP (English Grown)
- DESCRIPTION : NODDING WHITE FLOWERS
- HEIGHT : 10 CM
- BLOOMS : MARCH : QUANTITY PER UNIT : 20
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
BLOOMING VERY EARLY IN THE YEAR, THIS LONG-TIME FAVOURITE IS A SMALL BULBOUS PERENNIAL FOUND FROM THE IBERIAN PENINSULA TO UKRAINE. NODDING FROM A SLENDER ARCHING STEM (“PEDICEL”) ATOP AN ANKLE-HIGH SCAPE (LEAFLESS FLOWER STALK), THE WHITE, SOLITARY, HONEY-SCENTED FLOWER HAS SIX PETAL-LIKE SEGMENTS IN TWO WHIRLS. IN COLD WEATHER THE FLOWER CLOSES, INDEED RESEMBLING A DROP OF SNOW. AS THE AIR WARMS THE THREE SPOON-SHAPED OUTER SEGMENTS DRAW BACK TO REVEAL THE THREE MUCH SMALLER INNER SEGMENTS, WHICH FORM A TUBE-LIKE STRUCTURE
“GALANTHUS NIVALIS” HAS RECEIVED THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY’S AWARD OF GARDEN MERIT (AGM) WHICH IS FOR PLANTS OF OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE
THE INNER SEGMENTS HAVE NOTCHED TIPS WITH A GREEN V-SHAPED “MUSTACHE”. THE FLOWER ATTACHES AT ITS BASE TO A SMALL, GREEN, THIMBLE-SHAPED OVARY. TWO SLENDER, LEAF-LIKE SPATHES FLANK THE PEDICEL. THE BULB MULTIPLIES TO PRODUCE A MULTI-FLOWERED CLUMP. THE NARROWLY LANCE-SHAPED GREYISH-GREEN LEAVES SOMETIMES HAVE A SILVER-GRAY MID-STRIPE. THE FOLIAGE EMERGES BEFORE THE FLOWERS, DEVELOPS TO FULL LENGTH DURING AND AFTER BLOOM, AND NEATLY FADES AWAY IN SPRING
SNOWDROPS COULDN’T BE EASIER OR MORE REWARDING TO GROW. PLANT THE BULBS IN THE AUTUMN IN MOIST WELL-DRAINED SOIL WITH PLENTY OF HUMUS. THEY ARE BEST UNDER DECIDUOUS TREES WHERE THEY RECEIVE FULL SUN WHILE IN BLOOM, BUT PARTIAL SHADE LATER ON. THEY REQUIRE AT LEAST 2 MONTHS OF CHILL IN THE WINTER TO GROW AND FLOWER WELL. DO NOT DISTURB THE BULBS, BUT RATHER ALLOW THEM TO FORM LARGE CLUMPS. THEY ALSO SPREAD THROUGH SELF-SOWING
THE FRAGRANT FLOWERS ARE LOVELY WHEN CUT . IT HELPS TO LET THEIR LEAVES DIE BACK NATURALLY IN LATE SPRING, RATHER THAN CUT THEM BACK AFTER THEY’RE FINISHED BLOOMING. TO CLIP THEM BACK TOO SOON DEPRIVES THE BULBS OF THE FULLEST CHANCE TO STORE ENERGY AND PRODUCE OFFSETS
< SNOWDROPS ARE NOTORIOUSLY DIFFICULT TO GROW DRY BULBS OFTEN TAKE A SEASON TO SETTLE DOWN BEFORE FLOWERING.
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