Gentle and fragile snowdrops, like early forecasters of spring, appear at the end of February on snow-free thawed patches.
Surprisingly, despite their sophistication, these flowers are completely unpretentious and grow only in the cold period.
Where you can see spring perennials and what they are - we will tell about it later in the article.
- Botanical description
- Habitat
- Features of the life cycle
- View of the snowdrop in the Red Book
Botanical description
Folded snowdrop belongs to the Amaryllis family and is a perennial bulbous plant, which people often confuse with the description of scilla and primrose.
In the southern regions of Europe, the flower is called galantus (Galanthus), which in Latin means "milky-flowered". Obviously, the name was given because of the snow-white color of primrose petals.
Externally, the snowdrop is folded, as indicated in the photo, is a low plant with pointed leaves and a drooping flower.
Its root system develops from a small bulb on which light scales are well visible. Every year from one bulb grows one bud.
The foliage of the galantus is folded, green or bluish color. It is characteristic that in the period of the appearance of flowers the length of the leaf plates is 1.5-2 times shorter than the arrow-peduncle.
In the same period, a smoky wax bloom appears on the leaves, and when the buds wither, a fatish luster appears.
Arrows can stretch up to 30 cm, but this is rare. Basically, their length is within 12-15 cm. Flowers are directed downwards, they consist of 6 white petals. The inner part of them is slightly shorter and is colored with green or yellow border. Possess rich pleasant aroma. 
The flowering period lasts depending on weather conditions throughout April. This galantus differ from the usual snow-white species, which blooms from March to April. After flowering on thin peduncles, fleshy fruits are formed, which are large seed pods.
Habitat
You can see the snowdrops in the south of Ukraine and the Crimea peninsula, in Moldova, Georgia, European countries, western regions of Asia Minor, in the Caucasus. Many flower growers decorate their gardens with spring primroses, and flowers are also found in the wild. You can admire the solid glades of blooming galantuses on mountain meadows, shady coasts and forest edges.
Unfortunately, annually the population of the variety of these flowers rapidly declining. In some regions that previously raged with fragrant snowdrops, today is a view on the verge of extinction. 
Features of the life cycle
Vegetation of all types of snowdrops lasts no more than 10 weeks. When the leaves begin to bloom on the trees, these primroses cannot be found in the afternoon with fire. Their stems wilted, the seeds begin to ripen on the peduncles. The bulb retains its viability for 5-6 years.Therefore, garden copies require periodic updates.
In the wild, this process occurs spontaneously. The plant multiplies grains, which after maturation spill out of the seed pods, and onion-bulbs. Once in auspicious wet and humus or leafy soil, the flower can grow over the years in the same area. Helps spread galantus and ants who love to eat appendages from the seeds of a flower.
Garden samples are seated in late August and early September. It is important that the bulbs do not lie long waiting for planting. Their thin scales easily pass oxygen, with the result that the seed quickly dries out and becomes unusable. Peduncles on young seedlings appear only after five years. 
After flowering, the plant begins to accumulate nutrients in the bulb and forms the beginnings of a flower next year.Even in a period of tranquility, the stems, foliage and flower stalks grow slowly, and with the first spring heat they intensively start to grow.
View of the snowdrop in the Red Book
The disappearance of the folded type of snowdrops botanists associate with human activity. After all, it is already customary on the eve of International Women's Day to see whole armfuls of these beautiful heralds of spring from collectors and sellers. Without thinking about the future of the species, they cruelly tear the plant along with the bulbs.
And this is done without any effort, since the root system of the flower is located in the surface balls of the soil. And since it is very loose and light enough to pull a little, so that the galantuses with flowers and roots are in their hands.
Torn out bulbs, even if they are stuck back into the soil, take root poorly and most often die. So far, the type of snowdrop is not called folded among rare ones, but to save it from extinction by the decision of the Yalta city executive committee and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea it brought into Red Book. 
In addition, the plant belongs to the reserve and on the territory of countries neighboring Ukraine. For example, the Europeans counted him in European Red Listand they also encourage the garden cultivation of galantus, considering it to be a reliable way to preserve the species in parks and botanical gardens.
Indeed, if the situation gets out of control, then very soon future generations will no longer be aware of what the galantuses look like. Therefore, it is better to admire the snow-white heralds of spring not for a short time in a vase, but for a long time in your flower bed or in the places of their natural growth.
