Giant snowdrop is a deciduous perennial bulb in the amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae). It is a native of the Balkans, western Turkey, Macedonia and northern Greece. The genus name Galanthus comes from the Greek words for milk ( gala ) and flower ( anthos ) because the flower is always white. The species is named for English botanist and naturalist Henry John Elwes (1846-1922). It grows easily in moist, well-drained, hummus-rich soils in full sun to partial shade. This flower naturalizes readily through self-seeding and bulb offsets and can grow into large colonies. It prefers cooler climates and may be short-lived when grown south of USDA Zone 7. The plant requires less than 12 inches of space and can be planted 3 to 4 inches apart. Plant bulbs 5 inches deep in the fall. This flower thrives in that difficult-to-grow location under deciduous trees, because it receives full sun in the early spring. When the trees leaf out in the heat of summer, the shade then protects the plant. Leaves should be left to yellow on spent bulbs because they provide nutrients for the next year's bloom. The dead leaves eventually fall off by themselves as the bulbs go dormant for the summer. The plant is deer resistant. The giant snowdrop grows up to a foot in height, and its large, solitary, white flowers are about 2 inches wide. The flowers appear on naked stems in late winter to early spring, poking above the snow if it is present. Giant snowdrop gets its name because its flowers and leaves are larger than the similar common snowdrop ( G. nivalis ). Display it where it can naturalize in large drifts such as in woodland margins, meadows or in lawns under large deciduous trees. It can also be mass planted or in small groups among other early flowering bulbs in rock gardens, along paths or in front of shrubs. Use it also in cottage, pollinator and winter gardens. Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Wet
Available space
Less than 12 inches
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in. | Width: 0 ft. 3 in. - 0 ft. 6 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Spreading
Texture
Fine
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Rosulate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Linear
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Two to three linear, or very narrowly lanceolate, reaching 4 inches long after flowering, 1 1/4 inch wide, greyish-green leaves arise from the base of the bulb.
Flower color
Green; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Solitary
Flower shape
Bell
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
A solitary 2" wide, waxy, pendulous, bell-shaped white flower, held on a slender leafless pedicel. 6-parted tepals, white but with inner segments that have a terminal green mark. They bloom late winter to early spring.
Bloom time
Spring; Winter
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Capsule splits in thirds
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Smooth green stem
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Balkans, western Turkey, Macedonia, northern Greece
Attracts
Bees
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Capsule
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Meadow; Naturalized Area; Walkways; Woodland
Landscape theme
Cottage Garden; Pollinator Garden; Rock Garden; Winter Garden
Design feature
Border; Mass Planting; Small groups
Garden tags
#bulb #showy flowers #full sun tolerant #poisonous #spring interest #partial shade tolerant #understory planting #tepals #flowers early spring #white flowers #waxy #flowers late winter #rabbit resistant #deer resistant #perennial #HS304
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Narcissus Bulb Fly
Problems
Poisonous to Humans
Resistant to
Black Walnut; Deer
Particularly resistant to
Tolerates deer, clay soil, black walnut trees
Poison severity
Low
Poison parts
Roots
Poison symptoms
CAUSES ONLY LOW TOXICITY IF EATEN. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.