Just when we’re all weary of the long, dark days of winter, a little bright spot decides to make an appearance. Right around the first of March each year, beautiful small white bell-shaped flowers with green dots on the tip of each petal spring up to provide a bright and cheery display. The green of the leaves start to push out of the ground around the first of February from a small bulb. These are the first flowers we see each year and they seem to promise more good things to come such as the daffodils that follow shortly thereafter.

Due to my limited experience with bulbs, this plant was totally unfamiliar to me. But my quest for identification only brought more questions…and some confusion.

It seems that Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) and Snowflakes (Leucojum aestivum) are often mistakenly identified due to their similarity of appearance, but they are two separate species with somewhat differing growing habits.

While both flowers are snowy white with six petals that hang downward, the formation of the bloom differs greatly.

Snowdrops (Galanthus) have 3 larger, longer petals around the outside and 3 smaller petals just inside which fill in the gaps and form a sort of small tube. The smaller petals often have green tips and sometimes green at the base. Snowdrops typically bloom very early and can often be seen surrounded by snow and ice. They tend to be somewhat smaller growing to about 4” tall with flowers less than an inch from tip to stem.

Snowflakes (Leucojum) also have 6 petals, but the petals are of equal size and very much resemble a bell. Each petal curls outwards a little and has a green spot near the tip. The Snowflake is said to bloom much later in the spring, typically April, which is when the later daffodils and tulips are also in bloom. Snowflakes can have multiple flowers dangling from the original stem.

While the description of the Snowflake seems to completely match our beautiful little flowers, the bloom date of late February or early March is much more apt for the Snowdrop.

Regardless of what they are called, you can’t go wrong with this little bulb. They have proven to be quite hardy, making their presence known in late winter, just when this harbinger of spring is most welcome.

Smith County Master Gardeners are volunteer educators certified and coordinated by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

Teresa Bristow
Smith County Master Gardener