Types of Snowdrops

Common Snowdrop

• Also referred to as the garden snowdrop because it grows with little care and persists for decades once planted, common snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) grows 4 inches tall. The white, honey-scented flowers appear above the light green leaves in mid- and late winter. An upside-down V, green in color, appears at the inner tips of petals in each blossom. Numerous cultivars exist today. Lady Elphinstone bears double-form flowers, with extra petals and yellow inner petal markings. Other cultivars include Flore Pleno, Howick Yellow, Pusey Green Tip, Scharlokii and Viridapicis. Grow common snowdrops in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 2b through 9a.

Giant Snowdrop

• Compared to the flowers of the common snowdrop, those of the giant snowdrop (Galanthus elwesii) are nearly twice as large. The plant also grows taller, anywhere from 5 to 9 inches. The nodding white flower heads appear in late winter, also gently scented of honey when open. Grow this species in USDA zones 3b through 9a.

Autumn Snowdrop

• Growing in slightly drier soil conditions is the autumn snowdrop (Galanthus reginae-olgae). The gray-green leaves look more slender than others in the genus. The white flowers occur in autumn rather than the more usual late winter or early spring. Less tolerant of cold, autumn snowdrop grows best in USDA zones 7 through 9a.

Hybrids

• Over the years, horticulturists have crossed various species to develop more ornately flowering cultivars of snowdrops. These hybrids tend to be hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8 and bloom anytime from late winter to very early spring, depending on climate, elevation or latitude. Cultivars John Gray and Ketton produce flowers matching the size or even larger than those of the giant snowdrop species. Double-flowering selections include Lady Beatrix Stanley, Jacquenetta and Ophelia. Other cultivars sold in stores or mail-order catalogs include Augustus, Atkinsii, Brenda Troyle, Manget, Merlin, Mighty Atom, Robin Hood, S. Arnott and Straffan.

Other Species

• In specialty bulb catalogs, gardeners may come across lesser known snowdrop species. Galanthus allenii, G. fosteri, G. gracilis, G. ikariae, G. plicatus and G. rizehensis are among the types a plant collector show interest in and wishes to grow in their gardens. Hardiness varies among the species, but all are native to woodland habitats primarily from Slovenia eastward to Lebanon.