Not all snowdrops are the same. There are early-flowering and late-flowering varieties, pure white, greenish and those with a yellow ensemble in the middle. Here is a brief overview of the best-known species and interesting varieties.
What different types of snowdrops are there?
There are 20 snowdrop species and over 1,500 cultivars worldwide, including Galanthus nivalis (Common Snowdrop), Galanthus elwesii (Large-flowered Snowdrop), Galanthus ikariae (Ikaria Snowdrop) and Galanthus woronowii (Voronov Snowdrop). Each species has its own characteristics in terms of size, flower color and flowering time.
20 species and more than 1,500 varieties worldwide
There are 20 species of snowdrops worldwide. There are also around 1,500 varieties and the breeders are far from tired of their work. New varieties of snowdrops are added every year. Most snowdrops are grown in England and Scotland.
Galanthus nivalis – Common Snowdrop
It is native to this country and grows to around 10 cm high. The flower has a green spot. The associated snowdrop varieties usually bloom between January and March. These include, for example, the popular variety 'Green Ibis'.
Galanthus elwesii – Large-flowered Snowdrop
This specimen is considered the most widespread species and is often cultivated in this country. Its features:
- up to 20 cm high
- leaves up to 3 cm wide
- outer petals white, inner petals with two green spots
- Flowering period from February to March
- tolerates sunny locations
Galanthus ikariae – Ikaria snowdrop
The special feature of this type of snowdrop is the flowers. The inner petals have a U-shaped pattern. In addition, the flowers are strikingly large compared to those of other species.
Galanthus woronowii – Voronov snowdrop
This species comes from the Caucasus. It is widely used as a cultivated plant in gardens. The leaves grow up to 3 cm wide and the inner petals have a greenish pattern.
Other lesser-known species
The following species are less known among the snowdrops:
- Clusius snowdrop
- Caucasus snowdrops
- Narrow-leaved snowdrop
- Cilician snowdrops
- Foster Snowdrops
- Dainty Snowdrop
- Koenen snowdrop
- Krasnov snowdrop
- Lagodechi snowdrop
- Broad-leaved snowdrop
- Peshmen snowdrops
- Queen Olga Snowdrop
- Lake Riza snowdrop
- Caspian Snowdrop
Recommended snowdrop varieties
The following snowdrop varieties are particularly interesting for lovers:
- ‘Green Tear’: green petals
- ‘Cordelia’: double, large flowers
- 'S. Arnott': good smelling
- ‘Flore Pleno’: double flowers
- 'Atkinsii': tall, large flower
- ‘Bertram Anderson’: huge flowers
- 'Wendy's Gold': yellow ovary, large drawing
- ‘Sraffan’: up to two flowers per bulb
- ‘April Fool’: late flowering
- ‘Blonde Inge’: yellow ovary, yellow markings
Tips & Tricks
The robust and fast-growing snowdrop varieties 'Samuel Arnott' and 'Bill Bishop' are particularly suitable for beginners.
