Growing Snowdrops: Tips at a Glance
Impervious to snow and frost, white drifts of flowering snowdrops emerge every February in the UK and later in the US to announce that spring is on the way.
- Type Flowering bulb
- Lifespan Perennial
- USDA Zones 3-8
- Light Dappled shade
- Water Well-drained, damp
- When to Plant Late spring
- Design Tip A natural for woodland garden
- Peak Season Early spring
- Companions Hellebores, crocus, cyclamen
Snowdrops: A Field Guide
These tiny bulbs are an English obsession, and for good reason. Impervious to snow and frost, they emerge every February in the UK and later in the US. Snowdrops are a garden’s first hint that spring’s on the way.
Snowdrops love low winter sun and moist, well-drained conditions. Don’t let them dry out, whether in the ground or in a bag. Galanthus nivalis is the most common species, yet it’s worth considering the ruffly, taller cultivar ‘Hippolyta’ or the yellow variety G. plicatus ‘Wendy’s Gold.’ Snowdrops naturalize well and can be divided just after flowering, though they are happy tightly packed. Let foliage die back naturally to fuel next year’s growth.