Plants
Snowdrop
Galanthus nivalis · Amaryllidaceae
When the little white bells push through leaf litter and sometimes literally through snow, the garden year begins. The snowdrop is tougher than it looks: its own antifreeze proteins let it shrug off sub-zero temperatures. As potted stock for bowls and winter arrangements we source it in nursery quality via the Veiling Rhein-Maas.
- Light
- Partial shade beneath deciduous shrubs; plenty of light at flowering time.
- Watering
- Evenly fresh in spring; hardly any water needed after dying back.
- Care level
- Easy
- Botanical
- Galanthus nivalis
The common snowdrop Galanthus nivalis is the best-known species; the large-flowered Galanthus elwesii and double cultivars such as „Flore Pleno“ are also traded. Among collectors — the so-called galanthophiles — rare selections with unusual green or yellow markings fetch astonishing prices.
The snowdrop is happiest where it comes from: in light shade beneath deciduous shrubs and trees, in humus-rich soil that stays fresh in spring. There it naturalises via offset bulbs and via ants dispersing the seeds, forming ever larger white carpets.
The most important practical tip concerns planting: dry bulbs bought in autumn often establish poorly, because snowdrop bulbs cannot stand drying out. Far more reliable is planting „in the green“ — right after flowering in March, with leaves and roots attached. Our potted stock can be moved into the garden the same way.
As with all bulbs, the rule is: let the foliage die back completely after flowering and do not cut or mow it. The leaves refill the bulb for next year — mow too early and you mow away next year's flowers.
An honest word on safety: snowdrops contain amaryllis alkaloids, above all in the bulb, and are toxic to people and pets. Interestingly, the snowdrop is the original source of galantamine, an active substance used today in Alzheimer therapy — a fine example of poison plant and medicinal plant often being one and the same.
Is Snowdrop toxic to children and pets?
- Children
- Toxic
- Cats
- Toxic
- Dogs
- Toxic
All parts of the snowdrop are toxic, the bulb most of all (Amaryllidaceae alkaloids such as galantamine). For cats, dogs and children: keep bulbs and pots out of reach and never leave dug-up bulbs lying around — they get mistaken for onions.
Typical symptoms: After ingestion: drooling, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain; after larger amounts of bulb also circulatory problems — then seek medical or veterinary help.
In an emergency:call the German poison control centre in Bonn on +49 228 19240 (24/7) — for pets, contact an emergency vet directly. This information does not replace medical or veterinary advice.
Overview: toxic & non-toxic plants for cats, dogs and children
Care
- 01Choose a part-shaded spot beneath deciduous shrubs with humus-rich soil.
- 02Ensure even moisture in spring; summer dry spells beneath shrubs are no problem.
- 03Best planted or moved „in the green“ right after flowering.
- 04Let the foliage die back fully; never cut or mow it while green.
- 05Divide clumps every few years after flowering to rejuvenate and multiply the stand.
- 06Keep pots cool — in warm rooms the flowers are over within days.
Frequently asked
- When do snowdrops flower?
- Depending on weather and location from January to March, in mild winters such as here on the Lower Rhine often from late December. A patch flowers for a good four to six weeks as the bells open in succession.
- Are snowdrops toxic to dogs and cats?
- Yes. All parts contain toxic alkaloids, the bulb most of all. Typical effects are drooling, vomiting and diarrhoea; larger amounts of bulb can cause more serious symptoms. Digging dogs are most at risk — when in doubt, see a vet.
- May you dig up snowdrops in the wild?
- No. Wild snowdrops are protected and may be neither picked nor dug up. For the garden there is plenty of nursery-propagated stock — as bulbs, „in the green“ or in pots.
- Why have my snowdrops stopped flowering?
- Most common causes: foliage removed too early, an old congested clump, or a spot that is too dry and poor. Divide congested clumps right after flowering and let the foliage die back in future — flowering usually recovers fully within two years.