There are about 18 species of snowdrops, most of them can be found in the Caucasus; this flower also grows in Southern and Central Europe, Crimea and Central Asia. The white snowdrop is a low plant with two linear leaves, the length of which is about 10-20 cm, and they appear at the same time as the flower stalks. The perianth consists of six leaflets, three of which are outer - elliptical, and three inner - cone-shaped, with a green top. The smell of the flower is weak, but very pleasant. The fruits are rounded boxes with three compartments where seeds are stored, black in color. Since the white snowdrop seeds have a succulent appendage, they attract ants, which disperse the flower.
The bulbs are ovoid or cone-shaped. The bulb is a small association of thick scales that have a common base - the bottom. Small buds are born in these scales, which are the beginning of new bulbs. The upper layers of scales are thin and dry, they protect the bulb from damage. Nutrients are stored abundantly in the plant's bulb, which helps withstand adverse conditions when the flower is dormant.
Snowdrops are an endangered flower listed in the Red Book. You can save them by growing them as a cultivated plant.
There are many legends about white snowdrops. One of these stories tells that at the time when God drove Adam and Eve out of paradise, it was winter on Earth, it was very cold, it was snowing. Eva was very cold and burst into tears, remembering with sadness the time spent in paradise. God felt sorry for her, and he turned several white snowflakes into delicate flowers. Therefore, we can say that snowdrops are the first flowers on Earth.
Planting white snowdrops
It is best to buy and plant snowdrops when they are in the dormant stage, and this is July-September, and if the weather is warm, then it is possible until the beginning of November. If you buy a flower for planting with green leaves, then you need to remember that such a plant has less strength to take root, the flower will get sick, and next year it may not even bloom, but it will not die. It is best not to overdry the white snowdrop bulb and not keep it in the air for more than one month. If it is not possible to plant a bulb, it is best to cover it with sawdust. The generally accepted planting rule is in loose soil, to a depth equal to two bulbs, and if the soil is dense, then one. If a snowdrop is planted deep, then another one will form above the bulb, which will be at the optimal depth for the plant. The white snowdrop has one more feature: if it is planted deeply, the bulb will become larger, and if not deeply, the children will actively develop.
When caring for white snowdrops, you need to know that the leaves do not need to be cut off until they completely die. During growth, it is necessary to fertilize with liquid inorganic fertilizers, preferably with a large amount of phosphates and potassium. These cute flowers reproduce vegetatively. Usually 1-2 bulbs are formed.
Description. Snowdrop - earliest small bulbous plant. The snowdrop got its name from the plant’s ability to break out of the ground and bloom with the first warm rays of the spring sun, when the snow melts a little. The Latin name for the snowdrop, “Galanthus,” presumably consists of Greek roots, translated meaning “milk flower.” This name probably reflects its delicate snow-white color as a snowdrop.
The snowdrop genus includes 18 wild species that are found in Southern and Central Europe, the western part of Asia Minor and the Caucasus. For example, in Stavropol and Krasnodar region In Russia, 12 out of 18 species can be found. Graceful, fragile snowdrop plants grow on forest edges, along rivers and in mountain meadows.
Without exception, all representatives of the snowdrop genus are protected plants, and some rare species are on the verge of extinction, and they can be saved by growing them in cultivation.
Snowdrop is a perennial bulbous plant. The bulb is round, up to 3 cm in diameter. The leaves are few, narrow, flat, linear or lanceolate, shiny dark green or grayish-green, 1 cm wide. A single flower grows from the bulb on a straight peduncle. The leaves appear at the same time as the flowers. The flowers are drooping, bell-shaped, white with green spots on the edge of the petal. The flower has six petals: 3 long outer and 3 short inner. This structure gives the snowdrop flower a unique grace.
In decorative floriculture, there are mainly two types of snowdrops that have garden forms: the snowdrop and the Elwes snowdrop. They vary in plant height, leaf color and width, and flower size and shape.
snowdrop snow (Galanthus nivalis) grows wild in the shady deciduous forests of Europe. Plant height is 10-15 cm. Flat grayish-green leaves are 0.4-1 cm wide and 10 cm long. The flower is medium-sized, drooping, white, the inner petals are half as long, with a green spot and a cut. Blooms in mid-late March.
Snowdrop Elwes (Galanthus Elwesii) originally from Asia Minor. This is a tall species, the flower stalks of which can reach a height of 15-25 cm. The leaves of this species are wide, sometimes up to 2 cm, and bluish-green in color. The flowers are white, large, spherical. It blooms before the snowdrop.
Blooms especially early and blooms for a long time white snowdrop. Its flowering lasts about 30 days. The flowers are white with a yellow spot inside and have a pleasant aroma. Later, but also long-lasting flowering is observed in folded and Caucasian snowdrops.
Snowdrops are used for various types flower garden decoration. Snowdrops are very decorative in large groups, not only in rock gardens, but also in the form of clumps under trees and shrubs in light partial shade, as well as in the form of white lawns among lawns.
Recommended for creating early flowering groups in the shade in combination with scillas, corydalis, lungwort, and primrose. You can also use snowdrops in mixed plantings with medium- and tall-growing, late-growing perennials: ferns, hosta and peonies.
The lovely snow-white snowdrop is the first to please the eye with its truly winter severity and touching tenderness. Spring has not yet become the full-fledged mistress of its domain and a white fluffy blanket covers the ground, and a small fragile flower is already fighting for a warm ray of sun. The legendary “Tears of Eve” remind us of a lost paradise and fill our hearts with a vague sense of pristine beauty.
Habitat
The snowdrop, whose Latin name is galanthus, which means "milk flower", belongs to the amaryllis family, which includes eighteen species and two natural hybrids. A perennial herb with a bulbous root, snowdrops emerge in early spring and live for no more than four weeks. The height of the stem reaches thirty centimeters; different subspecies differ in the shape and size of the corolla.
Snowdrops grow in the forests of Central and Southern Europe, as well as in Turkey and the shores of the Caspian and Black Seas. Flowers prefer areas exposed to sunlight, although they can also grow in the shade. However, they cannot tolerate places near swamps or springs with standing water. They are not demanding on the composition of the soil, subzero temperatures stand firm. With a lack of moisture, flowering slows down, so in an artificial environment galanthus needs additional watering.
The plant has an elegant white corolla with three long outer petals and three short inner ones. At the very edge of the petals there are barely noticeable green spots. On a low flexible stem there are several narrow dark green or grayish leaves. Only one flower grows from one bulb of small diameter.
Popular varieties
Of the twelve species of snowdrop growing in the post-Soviet space, the most common are:
- Elvis's snowdrop. A species with rather large round flowers, native to Asia Minor. The height of the stem can reach twenty centimeters. The leaves have a pleasant bluish tint.
- Snowdrop snow. Flowering period - second half of March, grows in wooded areas throughout Europe. It has a small corolla with a slit compared to other species. The height of the stem is from ten to fifteen centimeters, the leaves are pale green with a grayish tint.
- Snowdrop is snow-white. The most common species, with more than fifty subspecies and the longest flowering period. On the inside, the fragrant corolla is decorated with yellow spots. The length of the stem is on average ten centimeters, the bluish, keeled leaves are covered with a waxy coating.
Read also:
Lily - a mysterious stranger
Galanthus snow-white received its name in the first half of the 18th century from Karl Lineus, the famous naturalist. In Europe, this type of snowdrop is also known as “snow earring”, “snow bell”, “snowflake”. Regardless of where it grows, it blooms equally mesmerizingly - the tightly compressed bracts open spectacularly as soon as the flower breaks out from under the snow.
Under "red" protection
As the first flower of spring, the forest snowdrop suffers every year from excessive displays of human love. Yearning for the green beauty of nature, people mercilessly pluck every single specimen they come across, often not leaving even a bulb. The “cleansing” of flowering islands reaches a special scale during the spring holidays.
Such neglect of the plant world led to the fact that galanthus quickly joined the list of endangered species. Now the flower is listed in the Red Book and is under state protection. Environmental legislation provides for liability for unauthorized actions that lead to the death of the snowdrop population.
The Red Book contains detailed description rare species galanthus, indicating the external structure and characteristics of vegetative propagation.
According to the provisions of the Permanent Commission of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the joint efforts of almost all countries of the world are actively working to restore the plant population and develop effective measures for its protection.
In the Red Book you can also find a description of the species and subspecies of snowdrops protected in a certain area. This could be a list of endangered plants both in the region and in a particular country. Authorities can pass local and national regulations. At the same time, it is possible to organize comprehensive measures to save the population and expand the plant’s range.
Planting and propagation
After flowering ends, galanthus bulbs remain dormant underground until autumn. And only by the second half of September they awaken in order to grow roots and bloom again in the spring. Visible growth and blooming of flowers lasts until the first leaves appear on the trees.
Snowdrops take root well in loose soil with plenty of moisture. When landing in clay soil you need to add a small amount of sand and organic fertilizers. As soon as galanthus begins to germinate, you can apply inorganic fertilizers. It is not recommended to cut the leaves before they are completely dry.
D O C L A D
Project work on the topic:
"In the world of snowdrops"
Completed by: student of 1st “B” class
Gerasimova Kristina
MBOU gymnasium No. 2
Head: Yarovenko Victoria
Alexandrovna
Voronezh 2014.
Objective of the project: introduce the variety of snowdrops, their structure, the conditions necessary for their growth and the impact on the emotional state of a person; prove that it is possible to transplant flower plant from one place to another without harming him.
To achieve the goal, the following tasks were identified: 1. Clarify and expand children’s ideas about the diversity of the first spring flowers. 2. To consolidate children’s knowledge about the conditions necessary for plant growth. 3. Develop plant care skills. 4. Develop curiosity and cognitive activity. 5. Replenish sensory sensations. 6. Form a consciously correct attitude towards representatives of the plant world.
Preservation of wild primroses is an important task for nature conservation.
Snowdrops, like most primroses, are listed in the Red Book. The state takes care of their preservation and expansion of growing regions.
Spring primrose - snowdrop
Snowdrop (lat. Galanthus)- a plant of the amaryllis family. This is a beautiful perennial, low, tender plant. Its leaves are shiny and dark green. A single flower grows from the bulbs on a straight stalk. The leaves appear at the same time as the flowers. The flowers are drooping, bell-shaped, white and blue, about 15 cm high, begin to bloom in early April. From 13 to 19 subspecies of this flower are known, distributed throughout the planet.
In our area there are “blues” growing, but we call them snowdrops. Blue flower.
In the Far East, the snowdrop is white.
Snowdrop grows under the canopy of trees and shrubs, in partial shade, but prefers open areas. Winter-hardy.
Snowdrop develops best on sufficiently moist, loose, well-drained nutritious soil after adding humus or compost. Snowdrops cannot tolerate high, dry or low areas with stagnant water. Heavy clay soils require the addition of sand.
Main sections of the work performed:
Find a snowdrop bulb in the forest.
Plant the bulb in the ground and grow a flower.
Galanthus bulbs spend the main part of the year in a quiet state underground. The beginning of activity occurs in autumn, the bulbs begin to wake up and grow roots. In the spring, snowdrop bulbs begin to grow, the time of flowering begins, then the leaves die, and then they again go into a dormant state to accumulate strength for the new flowering season.
Snowdrop bulbs cannot tolerate prolonged drying. Bulbs are planted general rule: in loose soil to a depth equal to two bulbs, in heavy soil - to a depth of one. But in any case, no smaller than 5 cm. Snowdrops themselves regulate the planting depth. If they are planted too deep, they will form a new bulb on the peduncle, already at the depth they need. In general, strict adherence to planting depth for small bulbous plants is not necessary. It’s just that when the position is shallow in the ground, the bulbs become smaller, but they actively form babies, and when they are deep they become larger.
Reproduction of snowdrops occurs due to the growth of bulbs in the summer. Over time, snowdrops can form quite large colonies. Snowdrops should be replanted only when absolutely necessary, they don’t like it. If, nevertheless, replanting is necessary, then it is done immediately after flowering, when the foliage has not yet died off and, of course, it is best with a lump of earth. The bulbs must be lowered into the new hole immediately after digging, the depth of the hole should be at least 5-6 cm. Reproduction by sowing seeds is also possible, but the flowers will have to wait 5-6 years.
Conclusion: It is possible to grow a flower and propagate it at home.
Applications.
Bibliography:
1. Artyushenko Z. T.. Critical review of the genus Galanthus L. // Botanical Journal. M.-L.: 1966, 51:1443.
2. Lozina-Lozinskaya A. S. Genus 297. Snowdrop - Galanthus L. // Flora of the USSR. In 30 t / Ch. ed. and ed. volumes acad. V. L. Komarov. - M.-L.: Publishing House of the USSR Academy of Sciences, 1935. - T. IV. - pp. 476-480. - 760 + XXX s. - 5175 copies.
3. Artyushenko Z. T. Amaryllis USSR. - L.: Science, 1970. - P. 41-83. - 179 p.
Charming and tender, surprisingly defenseless and infinitely hardy - these are all snowdrops, the very first to appear every spring in barely thawed thawed patches.
The amazing aroma and no less amazing fragile appearance of this beautiful flower, unfortunately, turned against it - enterprising traders practically mow down the spring lawns covered with galanthus, threatening the very existence of this graceful beauty. Since 1981, snowdrops have been listed in the Red Book.
Delicate primrose
The botanical name of the snowdrop is galanthus, euphonious and elegant, like the representative of which one and a half dozen species are still found in the European forests of Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia, Chechnya and Dagestan, as well as in eastern Georgia and northwestern Azerbaijan. Galanthus is a primrose protected by the Red Book of Russia.
Snowdrop is a perennial and the earliest flowering plant that emerges from the ground with the first warm rays as soon as the snow begins to melt. Each bulb produces only one straight peduncle. The dark green, shiny leaves appear at the same time as the flower, similar in shape to the snow-white ones with a green edge, and have three inner petals surrounded by three larger ones. This unusual structure makes them unique and elegant. The plant reaches a height of 15-18 cm, abundant flowering begins in early April.
Red Book of Russia: snowdrop
Unfortunately, collecting galanthus for bouquets or for trade is not the only reason influencing the significant decrease in the number and representatives of this plant. The Red Book considers the factors leading to unpleasant consequences that cause snowdrops to disappear:
Digging of bulbs by amateur gardeners,
Deforestation, reducing the areas where snowdrops previously grew;
Trampling or destruction of forest floor;
Environmental problems of the region.
For example, in Dagestan, all species of the snowdrop plant growing on the territory of the republic are endangered. The Red Book of Russia assigned the third category to galanthus, characterizing it as a rare species, which today is not yet in danger of extinction, but since it is already found in small quantities and in fairly limited areas, with a negative change in the habitat provoked by any natural or it may very well disappear soon.
Snowdrop: description. Red Book and plant protection
The Red Book stipulates the responsibility of the country in whose territory endangered species grow, therefore, carrying out protective measures, such as bans on the sale of rare plants, the creation of nature reserves and nature reserves, as well as their cultivation, should bring results.
I would like to believe that it will be possible to preserve the galanthus population, because the Red Book of Russia is responsible for its protection. Plants, including snowdrops, that are under protection cannot be picked, sold, etc. Selection research for the cultivation of many rare species is carried out constantly, and cultural breeding of snowdrops is encouraged among flower growers. To propagate galanthus on your own summer cottage you should know about his preferences and developmental characteristics.
Agrotechnics of cultivation
The snowdrop is unpretentious. Growing under the canopy of forest trees and shrubs, it has long adapted to perfectly tolerate partial shade, but it also feels no worse in open spaces. Excellent winter hardiness and endurance to changes in spring temperatures enable gardeners to plant it in various parts of the garden. You just need to know that it will grow better on loose and well-drained soil fertilized with humus or compost. In heavy clay soils It's worth adding sand. But there is stagnation groundwater will not allow the snowdrop to take root successfully.
Garden propagation is welcomed by the Red Book of Russia. Plants - snowdrop, crocus and other bulbous plants - are planted according to the general rule: at a depth corresponding to two bulbs. Usually snowdrops regulate the planting depth themselves. If they are deepened too much, they form a new bulb on an upward peduncle already at the required distance from the soil surface. When placed shallowly in the soil, the bulbs become smaller, but children quickly form.
About the choice of planting material
It is better to buy bulbs in July-September and plant them in the fall. At this time, the plant is at rest. When purchasing, you need to pay attention to the condition of the planting material. The bulbs should be dense to the touch, with intact shells, without mechanical damage or putrefactive manifestations. If they have overgrown roots and stems, this will require prompt planting. Small (dried and not affected by mold) cuts on the scales of the onion are acceptable, but there should be no damage to the bottom. Planting material with the top cut off but the bottom not damaged is considered viable. You should not purchase broken or crumpled bulbs - they may have internal damage or areas of rot. It is impossible to grow a good snowdrop from such planting material. The Red Book does not give recommendations on the cultivation of species, it only determines the status and area of growth. The most favorable conditions for breeding will be exactly where the natural habitat is located.
Galanthus bulbs do not tolerate prolonged drying. There is no need to keep them outdoors for more than a month. If the time for planting has not yet arrived, then the bulbs must be sprinkled with sawdust or small shavings and placed in a cotton bag or perforated plastic bag. The shelf life will last 2-3 months.
Feeding
While the snowdrop is actively growing, it needs liquid fertilizing with inorganic potassium phosphate fertilizers without nitrogen, which can cause excessive leaf growth. Potassium is needed for the formation of healthy winter-hardy bulbs, and phosphorus is necessary for flowering. Active growth requires a lot of water. Usually watering is not needed, but if suddenly the spring is dry, then the grower will have to provide the plant with moisture. Watering small bulbous plants is not burdensome - they are very resistant to drought and will not die, but will not be tall. No maintenance is required until the end of the season.
So, easy care of the unpretentious plant will bring joy to gardeners and preserve the snowdrop. The Red Book is needed as a document that controls its protection.