Often confused with the snowdrop, it is distinguished by its 6 equal petals marked with a coloured spot. Spring snowflake looks like the snowdrop but flowers a little later and has petals all of equal size (each marked with a small green or yellow spot at the tip), whereas the snowdrop has 3 large white outer segments joined together and 3 small inner segments marked with green. Compare the flowering period too: the snowdrop is almost always the first of the two to flower.
🍃 Leaves
Strap-like, glossy green, appearing with the flowers
🌸 Flowers
Nodding white bells, petals marked with a green or yellow spot at the tip
🍎 Fruits
Small fleshy capsules
🪵 Bark
Underground bulb, single flower stalk
🗺️ Distribution
Central and eastern Europe; rare and localised in damp meadows and light woodland in France.
🐝 Value for pollinators
Very early white bell-shaped flowers, visited by the first bees and bumblebees of late winter.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Woodland, cool rock gardens, naturalising in lawns; early flowering sought after in late winter.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
Bulb toxic if eaten (alkaloids), like other members of the amaryllis family.
Spring snowflake looks like the snowdrop but flowers a little later and has petals all of equal size (each marked with a small green or yellow spot at the tip), whereas the snowdrop has 3 large white outer segments joined together and 3 small inner segments marked with green. Compare the flowering period too: the snowdrop is almost always the first of the two to flower.
