Winter always seems to be the longest time of the year. So I want it to quickly end! Sometimes it happens that snow and frost continue even in March, when you are already waiting for heat and sun. Not only man, but all nature is in a hurry to wake up from hibernation. Even the flowers are in a hurry to get out of the ground faster and reveal their delicate and fragrant buds. This is exactly the period when snowdrops appear. One of the first to wake up these little little white flowers. They got their name because their first inflorescences are still visible from under the snow. This bulbous plant has the name galanthus (Galanthus), in translation - "milk flower", although it is popularly called a snowdrop. It belongs to the Amaryllis family and comes from the forests and meadows of Europe. Depending on the place of its growth, the period from December to April is the time when snowdrops appear.
There are a large number of species of flowers that wake up even under the snow, and then proudly peek out from under it towards spring and the sun. If someone believes that they are all the same, then he is mistaken. Each individual species is individual and not like the others. Some of them have curved petals, others have green veins on the petals, while others have large flowers. But there are some among them that bloom twice a year - in the spring, when snowdrops appear, and then also in the fall.
There is another interesting feature of these flowers - these are poisonous bulbs. Moreover, they are equally dangerous for both animals and humans. However, the substance galantamine contained in snowdrops is considered therapeutic. Studies by scientists show that the use of drugs containing it in medicine allows you to treat some diseases.
There are many legends about this flower. Some believe that it symbolizes hope, innocence and purity, that is how snowdrops look in the photo. It is considered a good sign to grow them in the garden. But there are those who think quite the opposite. For example, in the UK, a flower is identified with death. According to legend, he grew up next to a dead guy who was looking for a young lover.
But no matter how superstitious people may consider it, it is just a beautiful and delicate flower that blooms against the frost and enjoys every warm ray. There is a beautiful legend that tells about when snowdrops appear. It says that this flower first appeared on earth back in those days when it was covered with a layer of ice.
However, these are all fairy tales, and the reality is that when plants freeze, they die, and snowdrops, contrary to the laws of nature, are not afraid of frost and come to life under the snow. There are many different versions of their behavior. One of the most suitable is considered the following: they grow in deciduous forests. They are light in spring, and with the appearance of leaves the soil is in the shade. That is why galanthus appears when the trees are still at rest and the foliage does not bloom. These are such amazing, beautiful and delicate flowers of snowdrops. A photo of them proves how unusual they are.
