What snowdrops look like - what color are they

Delicate fragile snowdrops appear in spring forests and gardens with melting snow, on thawed patches. This is a real symbol of the approaching heat, the first signal of the awakening of nature. There are many varieties of unpretentious snowdrop with delicate shades of petals. Gardeners can choose a suitable option for breeding on the site and for decorating a flower bed, front garden.

What snowdrops look like

Forest snowdrops attract with their defenselessness, aroma, tenderness, which is surprisingly combined with the ability to survive in frost. The first sprouts from the bulbs appear in March-April; as the temperature warms, bell buds develop, as if inclined to the ground on a curved peduncle.

Snowdrops in the spring forest

The most common is the white snowdrop, which can be found in the forests and mountainous regions of Central Europe, in central Russia, in the Caucasus, in the Bosphorus region. Snowdrop is listed in the Red Book as an endangered plant; harvesting in forests is prohibited due to the threat of population decline.

Peduncles - two linear dark green leaves up to 10 cm long. The bud is protected by a bracts of two halves. Each arrow has one flower with six petals. The three inner petals are distinguished by green tops, a conical shape, around there are three large elliptical petals. This combination gives the plant a real grace.

Snowdrops flowers are a medicinal plant, but these flowers should be used with caution due to the high content of alkaloids and poisons that can cause poisoning. Only in a small dosage can the plant extract be used as part of various preparations.

Forest snowdrop

Snowdrop flower: description of species

The color of the snowdrops depends on the variety and growing conditions.

Here is some of them:

• alpine snowdrop (Galanthus alpinus, Galanthus schaoricus). Grows among shrubs and in open areas in the lower and middle mountain belt in Central and Southern Europe, Ciscaucasia. It is the most popular variety in modern horticulture. It blooms in early spring, differs in bluish and dark green leaves;
• Caucasian snowdrop (Galanthus caucasicus). It grows in the mountains of Central Transcaucasia, on the outskirts of Tbilisi and in the region of Stavropol. Flat white leaves of a linear type with a bluish tint up to 30 cm long. Flowering lasts two weeks in early April;
• Bortkevich's snowdrop (Galanthus bortkewitschianus). It blooms in the first half of spring in beech forests, in humus, in the upper reaches of the Kamenka River, in the North Caucasus. Petals are lanceolate, wedge-shaped or ovate, gray-gray and dark green;
• Cilician snowdrop (Galanthus cilicicus = Galanthus rizehensis). It blooms at the end of winter at the edges, among the bushes and in the foothills of Cilicia, Trabzon, Batumi, Asia Minor. Dark green leaves, white petals with a green spot;
• snowdrop Elveza (Galanthus elwesii). It is mainly distributed in Southeast Europe, on the islands of the Aegean Sea, in Asia Minor, Moldova, and southern Ukraine. Bears the name of the collector Elveza.The species differs in height - it reaches 25 cm, the size of the petals - they are large, spherical and very fragrant. Flowering lasts up to 4 weeks; in total, up to 15 plant forms are cultivated in European gardens;

Snowdrops sprouts in the garden.

• folded snowdrop (Galanthus plicatus). It is found on the edges and among the bushes of Romania and Moldova, Crimea, blooms in early spring. Flowers - large, bent down, with a strong aroma. Cultivated since 1592, there are more than 10 forms;
• broadleaf snowdrop (Galanthus platyphyllus, Galanthus latifolius). Distributed in the subalpine belt and alpine belt, in gorges and on the slopes of the Caucasian ridge. The peduncle reaches a height of 22 cm. The most decorative in horticulture;
• Ikarian snowdrop (Galanthus ikariae). It grows on the Greek islands - Skyros, Andros, Ikaria, in forests and on the edges of sandy and rocky soils. Reaches a height of 21 cm. White flowers with a green spot descend to half of the leaf;
• snow-white snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis). Occurs in Central and Southern Europe, Ciscaucasia in the alpine zone on forest edges and bushes. Flowering from the end of March can last up to 30 days. Cultivated since 1500. The number of varieties and forms reaches 50. Peduncles with 12 leaves are white and large, with a yellow spot.

Popular varieties

The most popular among gardeners are the following well-known varieties of snowdrops, flowers:

• Arnott - differs in short wide perianth leaves outside;
• Lutescens - very pale, gentle and sensitive to conditions;
• Charlok - there is a long wing on the peduncle, the flowers themselves are small;
• other popular terry varieties: Lady Elpinston, Ophelia, Pusy Green Tip.

Features of caring for snowdrops in the garden

For snowdrops, an important role is played by:

• watering. The soil must be moistened so that the earthy clod at the roots does not dry out, but at the same time Galanthus does not like stagnant water, in this it looks like tulips. It is better not to plant it in the lower reaches, where water accumulates, which the earth does not have time to absorb;
• spraying. Performed only in dry weather;
• humidity. It is necessary to maintain a stable, but not excessive, water should not stagnate;
• priming. The soil should be well drained after composting, loosened. If the composition is very clayey, then it is worth adding sand and organic matter;
• top dressing. In the process of active growth, it is recommended to fertilize plants with potash and phosphate mixtures. Potassium contributes to the formation of healthy bulbs and flowers. You should not take nitrogenous mixtures, since nitrogen multiplies the number of leaves that rot from moisture.

Features of care in winter, dormant period

Winter is a pronounced dormant time for bulbous: in hyacinths, tulips, which are forced in February-March. Common snowdrops, the Elves variety, are well distilled - they are distinguished by large flowers. The bulbs are dug up in June, planted in containers with loose earth in a room with a temperature of up to 15 degrees until early October. Keep in a cool place in autumn. You can dig in the pots in the garden, but insulate with the onset of frost.

When and how it blooms

White snowdrops bloom during warming periods, but before stable dry weather.

We can say about snowdrops:

• types of flowers are in the form of a wedge, lancet, round, oval, elliptical;
• forms - terry, smooth, curly and small-leaved;
• flowering period - from late March to late April.

Changes in care during the flowering period are only in the amount of fertilizer - the active growth period requires feeding.

Bulb propagation

Snowdrop is a typical bulbous plant. Planting the bulbs in early spring or late July and August when 3-4 bulbs are growing. When buying bulbs, you should pay attention to the condition of the roots and the size of the root crop - it should be large, and the roots should not be too dry. Ideally, there should be children on the bulb who will help to plant flowers even in pots. The purchased material must be planted immediately or stored in a wet sandy composition.

Seed planting

Snowdrop is bred through sowing seeds and propagation by bulbs.

Features of seedlings by seeds:

• seed treatment should be carried out immediately after collection, otherwise they will lose germination;
• soil preparation is carried out by loosening, drainage and enrichment with substrates;
• planting in open ground is done at a depth of 1-2 cm;
• the terms of development and life of the plant are about 20-30 days after the first shoots.

True snowdrops in forests grow from bulbs, but seeds can also survive in moist soil and be carried by insects.

Snowdrops grown from tubers

Division of nests

You can also divide the bulbous plant into nests and plant it in enriched soil. This measure is effective if the bulb actively grows with daughter growths. Young bulbs with good growth potential can be found on the market.

During the summer, a group of 7-9 bulbs is formed, which can be divided and left to winter for the next season.

Possible problems in growing snowdrops

In general, snowdrops provide for themselves and regulate the level of planting. If the bulb is too deep, it will grow additional bulbs and continue normal development.

What problems can be with snowdrops:

• disease. Like any plant, a snowdrop can become infected with a virus or fungus. Signs: dents, yellowish tint of leaves, gray fluffy bloom, black dots, spots. Mostly they get sick in dampness and in the absence of frost in the winter. For treatment, you need to treat the sprouts with fungicides;
• pests hardly touch these flowers, because during their heyday there are almost no insects. During the summer period, worms and larvae can affect the condition of the bulbs; for prevention, it is worth draining the soil;
• chlorosis can begin when the soil lacks substances, poor drainage and a lack of feeding, so it is worth doing prevention.

Garden snowdrops are very "smart" plants: they themselves regulate the planting depth, because if the planting is too deep, a new bulb is formed already at the optimal depth, after which the normal development of the plant continues. To give beauty and arouse admiration is the advantage of this modest plant, which is in a hurry to look out from under the snow with the onset of the first thaws.