snowdrop

/snoh"drop'/, n.

any of several early-blooming bulbous plants belonging to the genus Galanthus, of the amaryllis family, native to Eurasia, esp. G. nivalis, having drooping white flowers with green markings.

[1655-65; SNOW + DROP]

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Any of about 12 species and many variations of white-flowered, spring-blooming, bulbous Eurasian plants that make up the genus Galanthus of the amaryllis family.

Several species, including common snowdrop (G. nivalis) and giant snowdrop (G. elwesii), are cultivated as ornamentals for their nodding, sometimes fragrant flowers. They are among the earliest garden flowers to blossom in the spring. Similarly named but very different, the snowdrop tree, or silver bells (Halesia carolina, family Styracaceae), is a tall tree with clustered, bell-shaped flowers that grows in the southern U.S. The snowdrop bush (Styrax officinalis) of eastern Europe and Asia Minor, also unrelated, grows to about 18 ft (6 m).

Snowdrop (Galanthus)

Derek Fell

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▪ plant

 any of the white-flowered Eurasian plants comprising the genus Galanthus of the family Amaryllidaceae. There are about 12 species and many variations of the spring-blooming, bulbous herbs.

      Several species, including common snowdrop (G. nivalis) and giant snowdrop (G. elwesii), are cultivated as ornamentals for their nodding, sometimes fragrant flowers. They are the earliest garden flower to blossom in the spring.

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