These elegant perennials can be found across the UK and are often one of the first species of the year to flower.
Snowdrop facts
Scientific name: Galanthus nivalis
Family: Amaryllidaceae
Origin: Native
Type: Perennial
Snowdrops and our canals
The snowdrop can be found growing in damp areas such waterway banks, and woodlands close to canals.
An early bloomer that emerges in late winter/early spring, it serves as one of the first food sources for wildlife species and pollinators. In particular, queen bumblebees often seek it out for their first taste of nectar once they surface from hibernation.
Due to its early flowering, the snowdrop doesn't rely on pollinators to reproduce. Instead, it is spread through the likes of ants who carry the seeds back to their nests, eat the oily appendage, and discard the rest.
What do snowdrops look like?
Typically identified by a single, white, bell-shaped flower that droops from a short, thin stem, snowdrops only grow to be 7-15cm tall.
The flower has six tepals - three white ones on the outer and three smaller ones on the inside, which have a green v-shape marking. 'Tepal' is the term used when there's not a clear difference between the inner and outer petals, sepals or leaves of a plant.
Can you eat snowdrops?
No, snowdrops are poisonous to humans, and eating them can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Dogs and other mammals such as cats and horses will also experience the same side effects if they ingest the plant.
Where to find snowdrops
Snowdrops can be readily found across the UK, particularly in damp soils near canal banks and neighbouring woodlands.
You may also come across them further inland, planted in the likes of parks and botanical gardens.
When to see snowdrops
Snowdrops may appear delicate, but they're hardy perennials and their flowering is often deemed the first sign of spring - which happens between late January and early February. However, increasingly mild winters have seen them bloom as early as November or December.
Other plant species to look out for
