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Snowdrops Welcome Spring
Written By: Jeannie Chambers - The Accidental Gardener | Issue: 2018/03 - March
March in these parts isn’t over by a long shot, but if you bend over and look closely…bend over a little more…just a little more – there, you see them?
Little snowdrops are gracing some of our landscapes, and isn’t it about time to see things greening up around here?
First, you’ll see the two, sometimes three, long leaves shooting upward, pressed flat against each other as if sticking together, testing the outside world before the queen snowbell makes her grand appearance out of the middle, sort of like Esther Williams popping up out of the water.
Snowdrops, named Galanthus in 1753, gets its name from the Greek word gala (milk) and anthros (flower) and is a native of the Middle East and Europe, and can live easily in Zones 3-9. Like most people, this plant doesn’t like weather dipping below -10 degrees. The name snowdrop may have come from the German word Schneetropfen, named for the popular teardrop-shaped pearl earrings in the 16th century. In some parts of Europe, there are featured gardens where naturalized snowdrops give the impression of a carpet rolling out to welcome spring.
Probably the runt of the amaryllia family, these delicate looking flowers are one of about 20 species, with the Amaryllis being one of the largest. The little drooping bells usually bloom before the March 21 vernal equinox. As you know, the vernal equinox signifies the first day of spring no matter what Punxsutawney Phil said back on February 2.
According to Wikipedia (so it must be true, right?), the medicinal use of the snowdrop flower may have been written about in Homer’s “Odyssey,” appearing as the magical herb. The active ingredient is called galantamine which is an acetylcholine inhibitor (just in case you have any uninhibited acetylcholines lying around). The same substance is also found in daffodils and narcissus plants. Some reports suggest that Galantamine may be useful in treating Alzheimer’s, though not a cure, and you may want to check with your doctor before munching on these plants.
Snowdrops have been viewed as a symbol of purity (you know the whole white as snow thing), and have been featured in many tales and writing throughout the ages. I’ll leave you with this one – Snowdrops: Theirs is a fragile but hardy celebration…in the very teeth of March.
