Snowdrop, or galanthus
Description. Snowdrop is the earliest small-bellied plant. The snowdrop got its name for the plant's ability to break out of the ground and blossom with the first warm spring rays of the sun, when the snow almost melts. The Latin name of the snowdrop "galanthus" ( Galanthus) is supposedly composed of Greek roots, in translation meaning "milk flower".Probably, this name reflects his delicate snow-white color of the snowdrop.
The genus of snowdrops includes 18 wild species that are found in southern and central Europe, in the western part of Asia Minor and in the Caucasus. For example, in the Stavropol and Krasnodar regions of Russia, 12 out of 18 species can be found. Graceful fragile snowdrop plants grow on the fringes of forests, along rivers and in mountain meadows.
All without exception, representatives of the genus of snowdrops are protected plants, and some rare species are on the verge of extinction, and they can be saved by cultivating in culture.
Snowdrop is a perennial bulbous plant. Bulb is rounded, up to 3 cm in diameter. Leaves a few, narrow, flat, linear or lanceolate, shiny dark green or grayish green,
1 cm wide. A single flower grows from a bulb on a straight pedicel. Leaves appear simultaneously with flowers. Flowers drooping, campanulate, white with green spots on the edge of the petal. The flower has 6 petals: 3 long outer and 3 short inner. Such a structure gives the flower of a snowdrop a unique grace.
In decorative floriculture used mainly two types of snowdrops, which have garden forms: snowdrop snow and snowdrop Elvesa. They differ in height of plants, color and width of leaves, as well as in the size and shape of flowers. Snowdrop snowy( Galanthus nivalis) grows wild in the shady deciduous forests of Europe. The height of the plants is 10-15 cm. The flat grayish-green leaves are 0.4-1 cm wide and 10 cm long. A flower of medium size, drooping, white, inner petals half as long, with a green speck and a cut. Blossoms in the middle-end of March. Snowdrop Elves( Galanthus Ehcesii) comes from Asia Minor. This is a tall view, the peduncles of which can reach a height of 15-25 cm. The leaves of this species are wide, sometimes up to
2 cm, bluish-green in color. Flowers are white, large, globose. It blooms before the snowdrop.
Snowdrop is especially early blooming and blossoming for a long time . Its flowering lasts about 30 days. The flowers are white with a yellow patch inside, they have a pleasant aroma. Later, but also a long flowering is observed in the snowdrops of folded and of the Caucasus.
Snowdrops are used for various types of floral decoration of the garden. Very decorative snowdrops in large groups not only in rock gardens, but also in the form of curtains under trees and shrubs in light shade, as well as white lawns among lawns.
Recommended for creating in the shade of early blossoming groups in combination with the woods, hoh- patches, medinitsa, primula. You can use snowdrops also in mixed plantings with medium and tall, late growing perennials: ferns, host and peonies.
Cultivation and care. Snowdrops are quite simple in growing, but they can not be called unpretentious plants, since they are quite demanding on the conditions of growth;love open sunny places, but grow well in the penumbra. Snowdrops are resistant to contrasting weather, alternating thaws and frost. It is best to develop on a fairly humid, loose, well drained nutrient soil after the application of humus or compost. High, dry and low with stagnation of water the snowdrops do not tolerate. When growing snowdrops on heavy clay soils requires a significant application of sand and organic additives.
The plants reproduce vegetatively, forming 1 -2 or 3-4 bulbs over the summer. Transplanted snowdrops after the death of leaves in late June - early July, you can extend this period until early August, during the vegetative period, when the old roots of the bulbs have died out, and new ones have not yet formed. It is during this period that the bulbs of the snowdrops are usually sold and purchased. But since the dried up bulbs do not take root well, they must be disposed of immediately after purchase.
Snowdrops, transplanted in spring during flowering, almost always perish.
The depth of planting of bulbs is 6-8 cm, transplantation should be carried out after 5-6 years, but snowdrops grow beautifully in one place without transplantation and for a longer time. Snowdrops - winter-hardy plants, diseases and pests are not damaged. For the winter planting snowdrops, it is recommended to mulch a layer of peat or peregrivshego humus.
Snowdrops can be propagated and seeds. It is necessary to sow the seeds immediately after harvesting, as they quickly lose their germination capacity. Sowing is carried out at a depth of 1-2 cm. Seedlings of snowdrops bloom for 3-5 years. In the curtains, the snowdrops multiply themselves by self-seeding.