CyberSalad: Garden Pursuits: Bulbs: Snowdrops (Galanthus)

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Galanthus

     Snowdrops are among the first flowers to open in spring and can also be grown indoors for midwinter bloom. Each translucent blossom is composed of three green-tipped inner petals and three longer, all-white outer petals; the slender leaves grow 3 to 8 inches long and wither away in late spring. Snowdrops grow particularly well beneath deciduous trees and are well suited to random planting amidst rough grass. The only species usually available from bulb companies are the giant snowdrop, 6 to 9 inches tall, and the common snowdrop, 4 to 6 inches tall; both have 1-inch flowers.
     Snowdrops can be grown outdoors in Zones 3-9 but do better in northern gardens than in warmer climates. They grow best in light shade. Plant the bulbs in early fall, spacing them 2 to 4 inches apart and covering them with 2 to 3 inches of soil. Do not fertilize. Snowdrops may be left undisturbed for years. Bulbs can be dug up and divided soon after flowering, then replanted immediately so the roots do not dry out. But since they are inexpensive, most gardeners simply buy new ones. Snowdrops can also be started from seeds; indeed, the plants often spread by casting their own seeds. Seedlings take three to four years to flower.
     To grow indoors, plant the bulbs in fall. Set them 1/2 inch deep in good potting soil. Put the pots in a cold frame, then bring them indoors any time after the first of the year. They do best in indirect or curtain-filtered sunlight in the coolest room--ideally under 50 F. Keep moist but do not fertilize. After the flowers fade, set the plants in the garden.

Galanthus nivalis (Common snowdrop) This species has 1/4-inch, blue-green leaves and 6- to 9-inch stems that support a single flower, 1 inch in diameter, flowering from January to March.

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Site launched January 1, 2000.
Site updated September 1, 2007.