Snowdrops: January's Flower of the Month

January 25, 2025

Through days of rain and nights of snow

A Flower grew silently and slow,

Till all around was white ;

Then clad in robes of tender green,

With faëry bells that peep between,

The Snowdrop seeks the light.

excerpt from R. A. MacWilliam “The Snowdrop” 1890

Etymology

Snowdrops, or Galanthus nivalis, are a symbol of purity, hope, and spring all across the world. They’re part of the Amaryllidaceae family which positions them as cousins to onions and chives. They are a perennial plant that grows from a bulb, which helps make them more resilient to the cold.

The name Galanthus is derived from the Greek word gala, meaning "milk" and anthos meaning "flower”. Nivalis is derived from the latin meaning “of the snow” so Galanthus nivalis are milk flowers of the snow, which is quite beautiful if you ask me.

Snowdrop Mythology

German folklore holds my favorite story of snowdrops. It’s said that at the beginning of all things, the snow sought to pick a color for itself. At the time, flowers were admired for their beautiful array of colors, but they selfishly guarded their color and would not let snow take it.

The story paints flowers as jealous and cruel, except for the snowdrop who takes pity on snow. So, the snowdrop offered its own white color for snow to use. That is how snow got its serene white color, and in return, the snow granted the little flower protection to sprout in the winter when all the other plants were too cold. From then on snow and snowdrops existed as intimate friends.

The Christian story is a bit darker as it follows Adam and Eve after they’ve been exiled from Eden. They’re cold and hopeless as they walk through the biting winter of the world when an angel comes down to take pity on them. The angel transforms a snowflake into a glimmering snowdrop to gift to Adam and Eve as a protective halo to give them strength as they venture into the world.

In Celtic lore, as in many stories, snowdrops symbolize purity, protection, and spring. They’re associated with Brigid, the Celtic goddess of spring; and their appearance meant that Brigid had blessed the ground they grew from.

In Greek mythology, snowdrops are associated with Persephone, the goddess of spring and the underworld. When Persephone was stolen to Hades and taken to the underworld, winter fell upon the rest of the earth. It was said that snowdrops emerged as a single bit of hope that Persephone and spring would return one day.

Snowdrop Thermogenesis

A super cool theory I learned about is that snowdrops may be tiny heaters! For background, thermogenesis is the ability to produce one’s own heat through metabolism. It’s the reason we don’t need to sun ourselves on a comfy rock the way that lizards do, though that does sound pleasant. There is a growing body of research that plants too can undergo thermogenesis in order to melt the surrounding snow to allow them to germinate.

Snowdrops, crocus, and skunk cabbage are thought to create their own heat as they metabolize to create a comfy melted ring of snow around them. Other scientists will say it’s completely made-up but many think it’s a true trait of these small but mighty flowers.

Medicinal Uses

The bulbs and the leaves of snowdrops have been used for centuries as medicine in Europe and the Middle East where they are native. Before this I hadn’t heard of them in herbal books on medicinal remedies, which it turns out is for good reason as snowdrops are mildly poisonous. That being said, the natives of Eastern Europe’s remote mountains are said to have used the crushed bulbs to treat nerve pain and headaches. They also ate the bulbs to stay mentally sharp and youthful.

After digging into the science a bit, it turns out that snowdrop bulbs and leaves contain galantamine which helps to slow down the destructive processes of Alzheimer’s and dementia. Galantamine is now licensed for use by doctors in over 70 countries. The alkaloid works by temporarily helping to balance neurotransmitters in the brain, which in turn improves memory, focus and cognitive abilities. Specifically it targets neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is why it has become so useful in Alzheimer’s remedies. So maybe those natives were onto something.

Snowdrops and their bulbs are poisonous to eat, though one would have to eat a whole lot of them for it to be fatal. Unfortunately, since they look similar to onions and chives, people have mistaken them and eaten their bulbs. Sounds like a pretty gross meal, so I’ll stick to admiring snowdrops, not munching on them.

Fun Facts!

15th, 16th and 17th centuries women often wore dangly, white teardrop-shaped earrings known as “eardrops”. Some people suggest that’s where the name “snowdrops” comes from.

When temperatures reach 50 F and above, snowdrop outer petals open up to reveal the flower’s nectar. Turns out that bees come out of hibernation at 50 degrees as well, perfect timing!

Since 1995 international snowdrop trade has been banned unless you have a special license because they are considered a protected species.