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Snowdrops
( Galanthus nivalis )
In response to two warm
days, my snowdrops are beginning to bloom down
along our creek.n Snowdrops are naturalized in the United States and this
USDA map shows the range of the plant in the US. The plant is native to France,
Germany, Poland and northern Italy and Greece.
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Galanthus means milk-flower in Greek.
They are a tiny perennial bulb
that I planted
years ago, and is a refreshing site as they are one of the
earliest blooming plants of all. The common name snowdrops refers
to
the fact that they may be in flower as early as February, in the snow, up
through early April. They have natural anti-freeze properties
that allow
them to close and reopen in response to freezing temperatures.
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I did not take this picture, but would have
liked too. This is what our snowdrops look
like in March, when they are at
peak flower. While I
was photographing the flowers, a honeybee, most likely from my nearby hive flew
into one of the largest, open flowers for nectar. I was quite surprised to
see a honeybee this
early in the season. I assumed that
honey bees were lethargic and more or less packed it in, until mean temperatures
got warmer in late February and early March. Is this a
record sighting for honey bees? |
Submitted by Mark Burchick
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Snow Drops
