Snowdrop or galanthus belongs to the Amaryllis family. Although this rare plant is listed in the Red Book, it is not so difficult to grow it on your own site. Very quickly, the flower spreads over a large area. The tremulous inhabitants of the forest will delight the beauty of the awakening nature and delicate aroma. They suddenly appear in small groups in the hollows. First, juicy green shoots contrast with the snow, and then tiny heads of flowers bloom.
Snowdrops can exist not only on the street, but also in pots on the balcony. And miniature bouquets will stand in a vase for a long time, recalling the arrival of spring.
Botanical Description
Galanthus is a tiny bulbous perennial. It is distributed in Central and Southern Europe, in the middle zone of Russia, in the Caucasus and Asia Minor. The bulb is elongated vertically, its diameter is 2-3 cm. As it grows under the outer scales, children are formed (small daughter bulbs).
The plant has a very short growing season. In early spring, when the sun begins to warm more strongly and snow melts, snowdrops wake up and release the first leaves. Depending on the climate zone, this can happen from February to May. After a short flowering, the shoots die off and by the middle of summer completely disappear.
The elongated bulbous neck contains 2-3 oblong lanceolate leaves of dark green color. The length of the leaves varies from 10 to 25 cm. Simultaneously with the leaves, a single peduncle appears. He carries a single dangling bell of milky color. Corolla consists of three elongated, oval bracts and three wedge-shaped, shorter petals. The flowers exude a faint but pleasant aroma.
After pollination, a seed box with dense walls matures in place of the bud. Internal partitions divide it into 3 compartments. They contain several small black seeds.
Popular varieties
According to various classifications, in the genus galanthus, there are 12-25 varieties. Such a discrepancy is due to the fact that some plants are too similar to each other and botanists argue whether to attribute them to a separate species or to an already registered one. Let us dwell on the most famous and cultivated varieties.
Snowdrop Caucasian. The plant is distributed in the mountain forests of Transcaucasia. The yellowish bulb reaches a length of 4 cm and a width of 2 cm. Dark green flattened leaves with a wax coating rise above it. The plant is 18 cm long. A peduncle about 6 cm high carries a snow-white bell. External bracts of obovate shape are slightly curved, their length is about 2 cm. Inside are wedge-shaped petals, they are half as long. On the petals, above the recess, a green spot is visible. It blooms in March.
The snowdrop is snow-white. This species is the most common in Russia for cultivation. It is actively growing and occupying the adjacent territories. In mid-March, 2 narrow leaves of a bluish-green color grow from the soil. Fragrant bells consist of elongated white petals. Closer to the pharynx, a yellow spot is located on the perianth. Flowering lasts all April. This species became the basis for several hybrid varieties:
- Flora Peno - terry variety with greenish inner petals;
- Lutescens is a capricious plant with miniature pale flowers;
- Lady Elphinstone - terry variety with yellow spots on the inner petals;
- Arnot - long white bracts hide a short flower with green spots;
- Viridicitis - blooms in late February with large flowers, there are green spots at the ends of all the petals.
The snowdrop is broadleaf. The plant is found in the alpine foothills and is most suitable for the northern regions. Over a large onion 4-5 cm long, there are erect dark green leaves. During the flowering period, their length is 16 cm, and later reaches 20-25 cm. A white bell is located on the peduncle 15-20 cm long. Oval outer petals hide short ovoid. A shapeless green spot is visible on the flower. There is no recess on the petals. Flowering occurs in May-June within 20 days. There is no fruiting; it propagates vegetatively.
People are also popular blue snowdrops. However, this plant does not belong to the genus Galanthus. Most often, by this name they mean whiskers from the Asparagus family. They are quite similar in external structure and early flowering, however, they are not related to snowdrops.
Breeding methods
The most convenient way to propagate snowdrops is to separate young bulbs. Each year, 1-3 additional bulbs are formed on the mother plant. After 3-5 years, when the curtain grows sufficiently, it can be divided. In August-September, after the foliage has completely dried, snowdrops can be transplanted. The bush is carefully separated by hands, trying not to damage the thin rhizome. Bulbs are planted to a depth of 6-8 cm individually or in small groups.
Seed propagation is considered more complex, although it allows you to get many plants at once. It is necessary to let the seeds ripen completely. Crops are produced immediately after harvest, as they quickly lose their germination. Seeds are sown in open ground to a depth of 1-2 cm. Seedlings bloom in 3-4 years. The place should be chosen shady, calm.
Care Features
The location. Miniature snowdrops grow easily and do not need careful maintenance. However, they are very demanding on the location and composition of the soil. They should be planted under the trees. The place should be fairly shady in the summer, but it is good to get warm in the sun in early spring. Ideal planting under deciduous tall trees such as walnut, cherry, chestnut and others.
Temperature. The plant normally tolerates even severe frosts and does not need additional shelter. In the summer, excessive overheating can lead to the death of the bulbs. For this, you will need a shadow from the trees.
The soil should be nutritious and moist, but without stagnation of water. Friable substrates with the addition of compost or humus are suitable. Sand must be added to clay soil.
Watering snowdrops are needed only with severe drought. Usually they have enough water from melted snow and spring rains.
Fertilizer. During the growing season and flowering, it is worth monthly feeding. Phosphate and potassium liquid complexes are selected. From an excess of nitrogen, foliage grows strongly, which is subsequently often affected by fungal diseases.
Diseases and pests. With regular stagnation of water in the soil, snowdrops suffer from fungal diseases (rust, powdery mildew, chlorosis). To protect rare plants, you need to choose the right soil composition and location. It is periodically recommended to transplant and treat the bulbs with fungicide. Natural pests of galanthus are slugs, caterpillars, bulb nematode, and mice. From rodents and slugs, coarse sand and shell rock are scattered around the lawn, as well as grass sods placed around the perimeter. Insecticide treatment will save you from small insects.
Using
Planting snowdrops on the site, you can not only decorate the territory, but also propagate the endangered plant. Galanthus are good in group plantings in rock gardens or in the middle of the lawn. If you evenly distribute them under the trees, you can get a solid carpet, as in the forest.
In the flower beds, snowdrops are placed in the foreground, along with other shade-tolerant plants. When the first flowers fade, attention will switch to neighbors. It can be snakes, corydalis, primroses, medunits, peonies, hosts and even ferns.
Bouquets of snowdrops look great in a vase without any decor, but can be combined with leafy or other flowering specimens. You should not tear a lot of flowers and collect them in the forest, because the snowdrop is listed in the Red Book of Russia. It is better to admire their gentle beauty on the street.
Interestingly, the plant contains galantamine. This alkaloid was isolated in the middle of the 20th century. It is used in traditional medicine and is part of drugs to combat Alzheimer's disease and other diseases of the nervous system.
