Snowdrops

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A herald of spring has arrived! Snowdrops are among the first plants to flower in the boreal winter:  they come to announce that the cold days might soon be ending. The genus Galanthus, part of the Amaryllis family, comprises about 20 species of plants native to Europe and the Middle East. Snowdrops grow from bulbs, and all species feature bell-shaped and slightly hanging white flowers. Since they flower so early, sometimes they can be seen growing through the snow still on the ground, hence the name.

The first snowdrops in my garden. Below them, the leaves of poppies are starting to emerge.

I was not familiar with possible medicinal uses for this plant. Given that the bulb is toxic, it is reasonable that it is not included in courses or learning materials for the preparation of home remedies. So I was surprised to learn that galantamine, an alkaloid found in the bulbs of snowdrops and other plants of the same family, has been used in recent years and is approved in many countries  to treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and mild dementia. More recently, scientists have also discovered other alkaloids in snowdrops, as well as additional potential uses for galantamine, 

Beneath these snowdrops (ignoring the dried leaves from last year) one can see that the nettle is also slowly coming out.