Galanthus nivalis
L.
Amaryllidaceae
The Temperate Database is in the process of being updated, with new records being added and old ones being checked and brought up to date where necessary. This record has not yet been checked and updated.
Common Name: Snowdrop
General Information
Galanthus nivalis is a Bulb up to 0.20 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine..
Known Hazards
The bulb is somewhat poisonous[
100- Title
- Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Polunin. O.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1969
- ISBN
- 0192176218
- Description
- An excellent and well illustrated pocket guide for those with very large pockets. Also gives some details on plant uses.
,
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]
Botanical References
17- Title
- Flora of the British Isles.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Clapham, Tutin and Warburg.
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
,
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Range
Europe, including Britain, the Netherlands to the Pyrenees, east to N. Syria, S. E. Russia, W. Asia.
Habitat
Shady pastures, woods and orchards, usually on damp soils[
4- Title
- A Modern Herbal.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Grieve.
- Publisher
- Penguin
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 0-14-046-440-9
- Description
- Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
,
13- Title
- Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Triska. Dr.
- Publisher
- Hamlyn
- Year
- 1975
- ISBN
- 0-600-33545-3
- Description
- Very interesting reading, giving some details of plant uses and quite a lot of folk-lore.
,
17- Title
- Flora of the British Isles.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Clapham, Tutin and Warburg.
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
]. Probably native in Wales and W. England, but naturalized in other parts of Britain[
17- Title
- Flora of the British Isles.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Clapham, Tutin and Warburg.
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Year
- 1962
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
].
Properties
Medicinal Rating |  |
Habit | Bulb |
Height | 0.20 m |
Pollinators | Bees |
Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Prefers a moist heavy loam[
108- Title
- Garden Plants Valuable to Bees.
- Publication
-
- Author
- International Bee Research Association.
- Publisher
- International Bee Research Association.
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- The title says it all.
], growing well in grass or amongst shrubs[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
]. Prefers a shady position[
28- Title
- Plants for Shade.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Knight. F. P.
- Publisher
- Royal Horticultural Society.
- Year
- 1980
- ISBN
- 0-900629-78-9
- Description
- A small but informative booklet listing plants that can be grown in shady positions with a few cultivation details.
,
31- Title
- Shade Plants for Garden and Woodland.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Brown.
- Publisher
-
- Year
-
- ISBN
-
- Description
-
].
The dormant bulbs are fairly hardy and will withstand soil temperatures down to at least -5°c[
214- Title
- The New Plantsman. Volume 1, 1994.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Matthews. V.
- Publisher
- Royal Horticultural Society
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
- 1352-4186
- Description
- A quarterly magazine, it has articles on Himalayacalamus hookerianus, hardy Euphorbias and an excellent article on Hippophae spp.
].
A very ornamental plant[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
], it grows well on the woodland edge[
24- Title
- Making a Wildlife Garden.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Baines. C.
- Publisher
-
- Year
-
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Fairly good with lots of ideas about creating wildlife areas in the garden.
].
The bulbs should be planted about 5 - 7cm deep as early in the spring as possible[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
].
A good bee plant, providing an early source of pollen and nectar[
108- Title
- Garden Plants Valuable to Bees.
- Publication
-
- Author
- International Bee Research Association.
- Publisher
- International Bee Research Association.
- Year
- 1981
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- The title says it all.
].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
The plant is emmenagogue[
4- Title
- A Modern Herbal.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Grieve.
- Publisher
- Penguin
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 0-14-046-440-9
- Description
- Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
]. Sow the seed thinly so that there is no need to thin them. The seed usually germinates in the spring[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
]. Grow them on in the same pot in a cold frame for the first two years, giving an occasional liquid feed to ensure the plants do not become nutrient deficient. Pot up the small bulbs whilst they are still in leaf in early summer of their second year's growth, putting about 3 bulbs in each pot. Grow them on in the cold frame for a further year before planting them out into their permanent positions in late spring whilst they are still in growth. The plants take about 4 years to flower from seed[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Division of offsets[
1- Title
- RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
- Publication
-
- Author
- F. Chittendon.
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year
- 1951
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
,
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. This is best done immediately after the plants have finished flowering (and still have green leaves) though it can also be done in late summer and early autumn when the plants are dormant[
200- Title
- The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Huxley. A.
- Publisher
- MacMillan Press
- Year
- 1992
- ISBN
- 0-333-47494-5
- Description
- Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Scooping.
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