Description
In 1874, the English plant collector Henry John Elwes discovered the great snowdrop. It was named after him, Galanthus elwesii. There are two varieties, Galanthus elwesii var. elwesii and Galanthus elwesii var. monostictus. The two are not much different from each other, the only difference is that the latter has a single spot on the inner petals and the first one has two. They are not assigned to a group because they are species, not cultivars.
BELONGS TO THE FAMILY OF AMARYLLIDACEAE
To date, nineteen species of snowdrop are known. This could well change, and not all botanists agree on this number. Species occur in the wild somewhere in the world. Many snowdrops are very variable, and if someone discovers an unusual snowdrop and gives it a name, another cultivar is added. Thanks to all these different species and cultivars, it is possible to have snowdrops blooming in the garden from autumn until April. It is important to plant the bulbs immediately upon arrival.
