Botanical Name: Galanthus nivalis (Amaryllidaceae)
Attributes: Galanthus or the common snowdrop is a perennial herbaceous plant grown from bulbs. It is low-growing, reaching a height of about 4 inches. Snowdrop flowers are white, bell-shaped and pendulous. The inner flower segments are marked with a greenish U-shape. Leaves are green, linear and usually borne in pairs. The seed is small and has a fleshy tail containing substances attractive to ants, which distribute the seeds. The genus name, Galanthus, comes from the Greek word for milk, gala, and anthos for flower. The word nivalis means "of the snow," referring to its bloom time. This plant is one of the earliest to flower in the new year. Snowdrop contains an active substance called galantamine, which can be helpful in the treatment of Alzheimer's.
Growing tips: The common snowdrop is hardy in USDA Zones 3-8. (The Mid-South is in Zone 7.) It is best to plant it in the fall. Bulbs should be planted to a depth three times the height of the bulb. Snowdrops prefer moist well-drained soil. They can grow in full sun to partial shade. This plant grows well under deciduous trees, where sun exposure is full in early spring and gradually changes to part shade as the trees leaf out. Snowdrops can be propagated by digging and dividing clumps just after flowering. Replant and allow leaves to die back naturally. If left alone, foliage dies back by late spring as bulbs go dormant.
Landscape value: The common snowdrop blooms from winter to early spring. It is a superb early bloomer in the woodland landscape and is beautiful in mass. Here at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens, we have it in mass plantings in the woodland and formal gardens. When given time, Galanthus naturally spreads to form white carpets above the winter woodland floor. It is also a good winter plant for herbaceous borders and shrub plantings.
Cost and availability: Available online at brentandbeckysbulbs.com or from your local nursery.
Ian Anderson is a nursery and collections specialist at Dixon Gallery and Gardens.
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