Snowpiercers

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When you walk around woodlands in January and look at all the lifeless brown vegetation, you get the impression that spring is still a long way off.  The only reassuring sure sign that winter will soon be over are the tiny green spear-shaped leaves of the snowdrops, rising up through the frost covered leaf litter.  Snowdrops were once known as 'snow piercers' because they shoot up and burst into flower while there is snow on the ground.

Traditionally, snowdrops used to bloom at the time of 'Candlemas' (Feb 2nd) but due to the changing climatic conditions we now see these dainty white flowers at least a month earlier.  If you put your tongue inside one of the flowers you can taste the sugary nectar they produce (not recommended in areas with lots of dog walkers!)

Related Pages

• UK Safari Snowdrops Fact File
• UK Safari Wildflower Section
• UK Safari Plants and Trees Section
• UK Safari News