Galanthus nivalis, Common snowdrop, Fair maids of February, Little sister of the snows, purification flower, Candlemas bells, Candlemas lily, Common bells

Galanthus nivalis (Common snowdrop)

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	Beginner skill rating
	0.1m max. spread
	0.2m max. height
	2-5 years to maturity
	1 hour care per year
	This plant is toxic!

Botanical name: Galanthus nivalis

Other names: Common snowdrop, Fair maids of February, Little sister of the snows, purification flower, Candlemas bells, Candlemas lily, Common bells

Genus: Galanthus

Species: G. nivalis - G. nivalis is a bulbous perennial with narrow, grey-green leaves, and solitary, nodding, fragrant, double white flowers in spring.

Galanthus nivalis is: Deciduous

Flower: Green, White in Winter

Foliage: Green, Grey-green in Winter

Fragrance: Flower has fragrance

Habit: Mat Forming, Weeping

Toxicity: Ingestion may cause mild stomach upset and skin contact might irritate.

Awards: RHS AGM (Award of Garden Merit)

Plant with: Rosa 'Climbing Iceberg' (Rose 'Climbing Iceberg'), Acaena microphylla (New Zealand burr), Acaena saccaticupula 'Blue Haze' (New zealand burr 'Blue Haze'), Betula utilis var. jacquemontii 'Grayswood Ghost' (Himalayan birch 'Grayswood Ghost'), Acer campestre (Field maple), Acer cappadocicum 'Aureum' (Golden Cappadocian maple), Acer lobelii (Lobel's maple), Acer pseudoplatanus 'Brilliantissimum' (Sycamore 'Brilliantissimum'), Acer saccharinum (Silver maple), Acer capillipes (Snake-bark maple), Alnus glutinosa 'Imperialis' (Alder 'Imperialis'), Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck Purple' (Beech 'Dawyck Purple'), Fraxinus excelsior (Common ash), Fraxinus angustifolia 'Raywood' (Claret ash), Malus floribunda (Japanese crab), Malus 'John Downie' (Apple 'John Downie'), Parrotia persica (Persian ironwood), Ginkgo biloba (Maidenhair tree), Prunus cerasifera 'Nigra' (Black cherry plum), Ptelea trifoliata 'Aurea' (Golden stinking ash), Quercus ilex (Holm oak), Salix caprea 'Kilmarnock' (Kilmarnock willow), Tilia cordata 'Greenspire' (Small-leaved lime 'Greenspire'), Carpinus betulus (Hornbeam), Acer palmatum 'Osakazuki' (Japanese maple 'Osakazuki'), Aralia elata (Angelica tree), Chimonanthus praecox var. luteus (Wintersweet), Acer pseudosieboldianum (Korean maple), Acer caudatum subsp. ukurunduense (Manchurian maple), Acer calcaratum (Acer calcaratum), Acer mandschuricum (Manchurian maple), Acer monspessulanum (Montpelier maple), Carpinus omeiensis (Mount Omei hornbeam)

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Watch out for

Specific pests: Slugs , Narcissus bulb fly

Specific diseases: Grey mould

General care

Galanthus nivalis (Common snowdrop) will reach a height of 0.2m and a spread of 0.1m after 2-5 years.

Suggested uses: Cottage/Informal, Beds and borders, Underplanting, Wildflower

Cultivation: Plant in humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil that does not dry out in summer. Although you can plant bulbs, it is better to plant 'in the green', when the plant has foliage and flowers in show. These tend to establish better than bulbs without growth

	This plant likes...	Garden match
Soil types:	Chalky, Clay, Loamy, Sandy (will tolerate most soil types)
Soil drainage:	Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
Soil pH:	Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Light:	Partial Shade, Full Sun
Aspect:	North, South, East, West
Hardiness:	Hardy (H4)

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