Hands in the Dirt: Snowdrops

Photo and article by Donna Iverson
 
Snowdrops are woodland wildflowers that appear at the cusp of spring often when snow is still on the ground. It is one of the first to flower as winter retreats between February and March.

The delicate snowdrop (Galanthus) is a perennial that grows from a bulb. It is an early promise of spring and symbolizes better times ahead.

Native to Europe and the Mideast, snowdrops prefer moist soil and alkaline soil. Bulbs can be planted in the spring or the fall. But the bulbs need temperatures below 20 degrees to force blooms. 

Snowdrops will self seed and spread once they are established in your yard.  Easy to grow, snowdrops like sun to partial shade. Snowdrops attract bee pollinators and are for the most part ignored by rabbits and deer.
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Historically, snowdrops were often mentioned in fairy tales. In fact, Snowdrop was an alternative name for Snow White. Composers like Tchaikovsky and Strauss also wrote musical pieces featuring snowdrops in their works. And in ancient times, at the February Feast of Candlemas, young women dressed in white robes, paraded the streets as human snowdrops.