Snowdrop is a small bulbous perennial with milk white flowers in the Amaryllidaceae (onion) family. It is native to Europe and southwestern Asia. Its common name is a reference to the time of year when the plant blooms—late winter to early spring—when snow can be present. Snowdrop grows best in full sun to part shade in clay or loam soil with high organic matter. The site needs good drainage although snowdrop will tolerate a site that is occasionally wet. Propagate snowdrop by division or stem cutting. In order to germinate, snowdrop seeds need to experience a cold spell, below 20 degrees F; therefore, the plant may have a shorter lifespan in warmer climates. Snowdrop easily spreads by self-seeding and bulb offsets to form new clumps, so plant it in a naturalized area or in a woodland garden under deciduous trees or shrubs where it has room to roam. It is also at home in a rock garden, a winter garden, and a pollinator garden where it will feed bees. Quick ID Hints: Two or three strap-shaped, basal leaves A solitary flower is bell-shaped on a naked stem Flower is six-parte and white but with inner segments that have a terminal green mark The inner tepals are shorter than the outer three tepals Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems. VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for " Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants " a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Wet
Available space
Less than 12 inches
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 4 in. - 0 ft. 10 in. | Width: 0 ft. 3 in. - 0 ft. 6 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
5 - Groundcover (<1 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Erect; Spreading
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Rosulate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Linear
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Smooth
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Each bulb generally produces two to three linear, or very narrowly lanceolate, grass-like, greyish-green leaves from its base. Basal, linear, usually paired, glaucous, 3.5 x .25" at flowering.
Flower color
Green; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Solitary
Flower shape
Bell; Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
A solitary faintly scented early bloomer. Bell-shaped white flower, held on a slender pedicel. 6 tepals, three outer are white are white, oblong, entire, obtuse, 1.5-2 cm. Three inner segments are white with an apical green mark, entire, emarginate, cuneate, elliptic, shorter than outter 3 tepals. The flower scape is terminated by large, green bract.
Bloom time
Spring; Winter
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit size
< 1 inch long
Fruit detail
The fruit is a more or less spherical capsule, 1/2 inch in diameter. The pale brown seeds are about 0.1 inch long.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
The green scape (the leafless, flower-bearing stalk) is 2 to 7 inches long and bears a single erect flower bud, a spathe of 2 membranous bracts.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Europe and Southwestern Asia
Distribution
Native to a large area of Europe, from Spain in the west, eastwards to Ukraine. Naturalized in North Carolina and Virginia as well as several other states.
Wildlife value
Polinated by bees.
Attracts
Bees
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Edibility
Bulbs are toxic if eaten
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Meadow; Naturalized Area; Riparian; Slope/Bank; Small Space; Walkways; Woodland