Galanthus nivalis
| Galanthus nivalis | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 4 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 1' |
| Width: | 0.3' |
| Blooms: | Late Winter-Early Spring |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Medicinal Rating: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Galanthus nivalis (common name: snowdrop)
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[1]. Sow the seed thinly so that there is no need to thin them. The seed usually germinates in the spring[1]. Grow them on in the same pot in a cold frame for the first two years, giving an occasional liquid feed to ensure the plants do not become nutrient deficient. Pot up the small bulbs whilst they are still in leaf in early summer of their second year's growth, putting about 3 bulbs in each pot. Grow them on in the cold frame for a further year before planting them out into their permanent positions in late spring whilst they are still in growth. The plants take about 4 years to flower from seed[2].
Division of offsets[1][2]. This is best done immediately after the plants have finished flowering (and still have green leaves) though it can also be done in late summer and early autumn when the plants are dormant[2].
Scooping.
Cultivation: Prefers a moist heavy loam[3], growing well in grass or amongst shrubs[1]. Prefers a shady position[4][5].
The dormant bulbs are fairly hardy and will withstand soil temperatures down to at least -5°c[6].
A very ornamental plant[1], it grows well on the woodland edge[7].
The bulbs should be planted about 5 - 7cm deep as early in the spring as possible[1].
A good bee plant, providing an early source of pollen and nectar[3].
Range: Europe, including Britain, the Netherlands to the Pyrenees, east to N. Syria, S. E. Russia, W. Asia.
Habitat: Shady pastures, woods and orchards, usually on damp soils[8][9][10]. Probably native in Wales and W. England, but naturalized in other parts of Britain[10].
Medicinal: The plant is emmenagogue[8].
Pollinators: Bees
Soil: Can grow in medium and heavy soils.
In Leaf: Mid Winter-Early Summer
Seed Ripens: Late Spring-Early Summer
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: The bulb is somewhat poisonous[11][2]
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 International Bee Research Association. Garden Plants Valuable to Bees. International Bee Research Association, 1981.
- ↑ Knight, F. P.. Plants for Shade. Royal Horticultural Society, 1980.
- ↑ Brown, George. Shade Plants for Garden and Woodland.
- ↑ Matthews, Victoria. The New Plantsman Volume 1. Royal Horticultural Society, 1994.
- ↑ Baines, Chris. Making a Wildlife Garden.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ Triska, Jan. Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn, 1975.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ Polunin, Oleg. Flowers of Europe. Oxford University Press, 1969.