All About Snowdrops
After a long, cold winter, a flurry of snowdrops can be a most welcome sight. These hardy blossoms often flower weeks before the spring equinox. You can find snowdrop bulbs and other spring blossom bulbs when you shop on eBay.
What do snowdrops look like?Snowdrops are small plants that grow to between 10 and 25 centimetres high and usually produce a single white dangling flower. Their blade-shaped leaves are 7.6 to 10 centimetres long and coloured a dark jade green. Snowdrops are perennials that once planted, bloom every year.
Are snowdrops native to the UK?Although many people consider snowdrops to be a quintessentially British flower, the plants are native to Europe and the Middle East. Some historians believe that the Romans first brought snowdrops into Britain, while others believe the species was introduced in the 16th century as part of the craze for Italian gardens. By the 18th century, snowdrops had naturalised and were observed growing wild in meadows and woods across the country. Two old English nicknames for the flower are “Fair Maids of February” and “Candlemas Bells.” Candlemas falls on February 2.
How many varieties of snowdrops are there?Snowdrops are members of the genus Galanthus. More than 19 different species have been identified in the wild, and more than 1,000 cultivars can be found in gardens throughout the UK. Some of the more popular varieties are:
- Galanthus ‘Atkinsii’ - ‘Atkinsii’ is one of the earliest snowdrops to bloom and has a distinctive, green, heart-shaped mark on its inner petals.
- Galanthus ‘Magnet’ - ‘Magnet’ blooms in February and March, and is distinguished by its long stalks that set snowdrop flowers dancing with every breeze.
- Galanthus nivalis - Most wild snowdrop bulbs in the UK belong to this species.
- Galanthus nivalis f. pleniflorus ‘Flore Pleno’ - ‘Flore Pleno’ snowdrops are double-headed flowers.
Snowdrops should be planted in the fall at the same time that other spring bulb flowers are planted. Since the individual flowers are tiny, they are best planted in clumps of 15 to 25 bulbs. The bulbs should be planted 7.6 centimetres deep. They can be easily repropagated after their foliage has turned yellow by digging up the bulbs, dividing the bulbs, and replanting them where you think they’d look best.
Snowdrops aren’t picky about exposure: They grow well in partial shade, and they grow well in full sunlight. They do prefer well-drained soil, however.