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| Life form: |
| Geophyte |
| Stems: |
| A leafless flower scape (7-15cm tall) which is topped with a single, nodding, white, waxy, bell-shaped flower, which later becomes pendent (hangs down) |
| Leaves: |
| Linear, basal gray-green leaves, not folded back edge |
| Flowers: |
| Hermaphrodite |
| Flowering Period: |
| February, March, April |
| Fruits: |
| Spherical capsule, 1–1.2 cm in diameter |
| Habitat: |
| Naturalized near buildings, ditches, roadsides, lawns, parks |
Derivation of the botanical name:
Galanthus, gala, "milk," possibly an allusion to the white flowers.
nivalis, Latin nivis "snow"; snow-white; growing near snow.
- The standard author abbreviation L. is used to indicate Carl Linnaeus (1707 – 1778), a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, the father of modern taxonomy.
Galanthus nivalis is pollinated by Bees. Seeds have elaiosomes (fleshy structures that are attached to the seeds of many plant species) which are eaten by ants and they carry seeds through underground tunnels, helping to distribute them.
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