Galanthus nivalis
Common snowdrop, Foolish maids, Fair maids of February
- Height × spread
- 0.1m × 0.1m
- Position
- Part shade
- Hardiness
- Cold to -15C (RHS H5)
- Flowers
- Winter
Availability
Generally as bulbs in Autumn, some as plants in late Winter & Spring
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
This simple snowdrop has arching foliage and delicate, pendulous flowers. These have long outer petals and a green crescent around the inner petals. It's very beautiful and subtle but you have to look at it closely to appreciate this.
- Flower colour
- White
- Foliage colour
- Green
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- No
- Shape
- Cone
- Height
- 0.1m
- Spread
- 0.1m
- Season of interest
- Winter
- Flowers in
- Winter
- Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Garden style
- Winter garden, Small scale garden, Scented garden, Gravel garden, Cottage garden
- Sun or shade
- Likes part shade, likes light shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Clay, Gravelly soil, Loam (normal), Sandy soil
- Soil pH
- All types
- Drainage
- Moisture retentive soil, Well drained soil
- Hardiness
- Cold to -15C (RHS H5)
- Borders & containers
- Borders and containers
- Use for
- Ground cover, Deer resistant, Rabbit resistant, Bee attraction
- Hazards
- Yes, potentially harmful; Humans: Harmful if eaten
Spring
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Water to keep the soil moist
For best results, this plant needs soil that is always moist. Water deeply and regularly as soon as soil appears dry. Even for established plants in the ground, a dry week can cause problems with some soils. Check plants in pots more often, especially in hot weather. Or install an automatic irrigation system which will do the hard work for you, even when you are away on holiday.
Without regular watering some plants never fully regain their beauty.
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Feed with high potash feed several times
Apply a fertiliser that is high in potash (potassium) several times while the plant is in flower.
Where fertiliser values are listed on a packet they are in order - nitrogen, phosphate, potassium with percentage values of each. For high potash choose a fertiliser where potassium is higher.
Winter
Winter · Planting
Divide after flowering
Clumps that have become congested can be lifted, divided and replanted with some space between the bulbs, corms, or rhizomes so that they can further develop, producing new foliage clumps in the future.
Found in
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