Planted under deciduous trees, the plants will naturalize and form a colony.
and oak (Quercusspp.)
have a chance to leaf out and cast shade.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Soil
Grow snowdrops in a loose, well-drained soil that has plenty of humus.
Like most bulbs they will not thrive in heavy clay.
Generally, snow melt and spring rainfall will provide enough moisture without supplemental watering.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Temperature and Humidity
Snowdrops do not like high heat and humidity.
This is why they are generally not grown south of zone 7.
At the southern end of their range, the bulbs may lose vigor over time.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
They are better-suited to the North, where they are cold-hardy as far up as zone 3.
A late fall addition ofcompostshould provide nutritional needs for next year’s bloom.
Here are examples of each.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Some are hardy only to zone 4 (Galanthus nivalisbeing slightly hardier than the rest).
All, except forLeucojum aestivum, bloom by early spring:
Here is how snowflakes differ from snowdrops.
Pruning
Don’t prune snowdrops.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Neither trim the foliage nor deadhead the spent flowers of snowdrops.
They continue to get their nutrients to the bulb through the foliage until the leaves begin to fade.
The entire plant will “die back” (above ground) when it is ready to go dormant.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
This is one reason why snowdrops are so low-maintenance.
Take advantage of this fact to lift and replant the bulbs when you wish to propagate snowdrops.
Ants help disseminate the seeds.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Snowdrops also spread on their own via bulb offsets.
They are cold-hardy and will survive entirely on their own.
Common Pests and Plant Diseases
Snowdrops have no serious disease or pest problems.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Deer won’t browse on your bulbs.
Simply provide them with the recommended growing conditions.
How long Do Snowdrops Bloom?
Snowdrops bloom for a couple months in the late winter or early spring.
What Do Snowdrop’s Flowers Look and Smell Like?
When the bloom opens, three outer petals arch out over three inner petals.
The flower “nods its head” down to the ground.
They have a creamy almond smell.
If left alone, the foliage disappears by late spring or summer as the bulbs go dormant.
Such a mass planting compensates for the small size of each individual plant.
Their toxic nature generally keeps deer from eating them.
After planting the bulbs in fall, you will have flowers on fully-mature plants the following spring.
