Snowdrops & Snowflakes
What are they?
Snowdrops are surely so familiar to everyone that they barely need describing. The flower has three outer tepals and three inners, with the outers being elongated and opening out like wings, while the inner tepals form a tube and usually have greenish markings both inside and out. With the first flowers opening as early as the first week of January, snowdrops have long been popular with gardeners and are much planted. The closely-related snowflakes are included here and this differ from snowdrops in having all six tepals looking more or less the same and forming regular, bell-shaped flowers without wings.
Where are they found?
Widespread in churchyards, parks and amenity areas with Common Snowdrop also found regularly in damp woodland and along roadsides.
Identification
Flower markings can be rather variable, but the four species in our area are quite readily distinguished by leaf size, shape and colour. It always pays to be aware of hybrids, which tend to look intermediate between the parents.
Common Snowdrop Galanthus nivalis
Native to continental Europe. Introduced and now a common and very familiar habinger of spring across the region. Frequent in woodland and on roadsides but most plentiful on churchyards where they have spread from original plantings. Flowers January to March. As well as the familiar 'classic' snowdrop flower, a number of cultivated forms may occasionally be found with more, or less green - or even yellow - markings. Most common is a double-flowered form. All varieties have relatively narrow (up to 10mm wide), glaucous leaves that are often slightly turned to one side when mature.
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Valentine Snowdrop Galanthus x valentinei
Occasionally arising where its parents (Common and Pleated Snowdrops) occur together, usually in churchyards. Flowers February to March. Leaves intermediate between the parents, being broader than those of Common Snowdrop and having shallow pleats towards the base.
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Pleated Snowdrop Galanthus plicatus
Native to the Black Sea region. Introduced to churchyards and occasionally spreading onto neighbouring land. Flowers February to March. Leaves green with a glaucous central band along the full length; up to 25mm wide with the edges folded to form pleats; tip hooded on the back. Two subspecies have been recorded in our area, which differ in the amount of green on the outer face of the inner tepals.
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Galanthus x hybridus
Galanthus x grandiflorus Rarely arising where its parents (Greater and Pleated Snowdrops) occur together, usually in churchyards. Flowers February to March. Leaves intermediate between the parents, having shallow side pleats and a hooded top to the tip.
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Greater Snowdrop Galanthus elwesii
Native to the Balkans and Turkey. Introduced to churchyards and amenity areas and occasionally spreading onto neighbouring land. Flowers February to March. Leaves broad (up to 30mm wide), glaucous with a clearly hooded tip on the front at the apex. Flowers variable with the inner tepals either marked with green at the tip only, at the tip and base, or with the two marks variously merged into one larger patch of colour.
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Woronow's Snowdrop Galanthus woronowii
(Green Snowdrop) Native to the Caucasus region and North-east Turkey. Introduced to churchyards and amenity areas and occasionally spreading onto neighbouring land. Flowers February to March. Leaves broad (up to 30mm wide), fresh, shining green and very different to those of most other snowdrops in the region. This species was earlier missidentified as the very similar Galanthus ikariae.
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Ikaria Snowdrop Galanthus ikariae
Native to the Greek islands and neighbouring western Turkey. Uncommon in cultivation and first recorded outside of gardens in Norfolk in 2025. Flowers February to March. Leaves broad (up to 30mm wide), fresh, shining green. Very similar to Woronow's Snowdrop but the inner tepals have a larger patch of green on them.
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Galanthus plicatus x ikariae
A plant appearing to be this hybrid (i.e. showing mixed characters of the two species) was found in Norfolk in 2025, with both potential parents nearby. This taxon seems not to have been described before.
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Spring Snowflake Leucojum vernum
A rather rare garden plant, introduced from southern Europe and rarely found in grassy places. Flowers February to March. Leaves similar to those of Common Snowdrop but broader and greener. Flowers broader than those of Summer Snowflake and becoming strongly angled when mature.
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Summer Snowflake Leucojum aestivum
Although considered probably native in parts of the UK, this species is an introduction and garden escape in our region and is common in churchyards, roadsides and other grassy areas. Flowers March to May. Differs from all other snowflakes and snowdrops by having clusters of two to five flowers in loose clusters on long stems. Clumps with many, long, rich green leaves.
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