Galanthus nivalis
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- gah-LAN-thus niv-AL-is
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
Snowdrop is a small bulbous perennial with milk white flowers in the Amaryllidaceae (onion) family. It is native to Europe and southwestern Asia. Its common name is a reference to the time of year when the plant blooms—late winter to early spring—when snow can be present.
Snowdrop grows best in full sun to part shade in clay or loam soil with high organic matter. The site needs good drainage although snowdrop will tolerate a site that is occasionally wet. Propagate snowdrop by division or stem cutting. In order to germinate, snowdrop seeds need to experience a cold spell, below 20 degrees F; therefore, the plant may have a shorter lifespan in warmer climates.
Snowdrop easily spreads by self-seeding and bulb offsets to form new clumps, so plant it in a naturalized area or in a woodland garden under deciduous trees or shrubs where it has room to roam. It is also at home in a rock garden, a winter garden, and a pollinator garden where it will feed bees.
Quick ID Hints:
- Two or three strap-shaped, basal leaves
- A solitary flower is bell-shaped on a naked stem
- Flower is six-parte and white but with inner segments that have a terminal green mark
- The inner tepals are shorter than the outer three tepals
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Flore Pleno'
features double white flowers to 1 inch long - 'Viride Apic'
features white flowers with green marks on both inner and outer tepals
- 'Flore Pleno'
- 'Flore Pleno', 'Viride Apic'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Flore Pleno'
features double white flowers to 1 inch long - 'Viride Apic'
features white flowers with green marks on both inner and outer tepals
- 'Flore Pleno'
- 'Flore Pleno', 'Viride Apic'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Galanthus
- Species:
- nivalis
- Family:
- Amaryllidaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Bulb
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Europe and Southwestern Asia
- Distribution:
- Native to a large area of Europe, from Spain in the west, eastwards to Ukraine. Naturalized in North Carolina and Virginia as well as several other states.
- Wildlife Value:
- Polinated by bees.
- Edibility:
- Bulbs are toxic if eaten
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 4 in. - 0 ft. 10 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 3 in. - 0 ft. 6 in.
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-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Bulb
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Poisonous
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
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-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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-
Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The fruit is a more or less spherical capsule, 1/2 inch in diameter. The pale brown seeds are about 0.1 inch long.
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-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Solitary
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Winter
- Flower Shape:
- Bell
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- 6 petals/rays
- Tepals
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- A solitary faintly scented early bloomer. Bell-shaped white flower, held on a slender pedicel. 6 tepals, three outer are white are white, oblong, entire, obtuse, 1.5-2 cm. Three inner segments are white with an apical green mark, entire, emarginate, cuneate, elliptic, shorter than outter 3 tepals. The flower scape is terminated by large, green bract.
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-
Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Smooth
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Each bulb generally produces two to three linear, or very narrowly lanceolate, grass-like, greyish-green leaves from its base. Basal, linear, usually paired, glaucous, 3.5 x .25" at flowering.
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-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Description:
- The green scape (the leafless, flower-bearing stalk) is 2 to 7 inches long and bears a single erect flower bud, a spathe of 2 membranous bracts.
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-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Riparian
- Slope/Bank
- Small Space
- Walkways
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Pollinator Garden
- Rock Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Black Walnut
- Deer
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans
