Snowdrops at Riverlands, in the company of some Lesser Celandines.

Snowdrop   -   Galanthus nivalis

The Snowdrop is perhaps the best known early-flowering wild species in Britain. One of its alternative names was 'Snow Piercer', harking back to the time when cold winters were a regular thing, and the white flowers would often be poking up through a layer of snow. The flower can be found in from January through to March. Locally of course, the best known location for enjoying masses of Snowdrops is the National Trust property at Kingston Lacey.

Snowdrops are pollinated by early-flying bees. The plant releases nectar from the green-spotted inner petals, and the bees carry pollen from one flower to another, some of which gets rubbed onto the female stigma, which leads to pollination. Snowdrops are in the same family as daffodils, Amaryllidaceae.

The Snowdrop was once called the 'Fair Maid of February'. This name comes from an old custom connected with the Feast of Purification of St. Mary, which was celebrated on February 2nd. Village maidens would wander around gathering bunches of Snowdrops, and would then wear them as a sign of purity. The generic name of the Snowdrop, Galanthus, comes from two Greek words meaning 'milk' and 'flower'.