Elected Hungary’s Wild Flower of the Year in 2017, the snowdrop (Galanthus) is a genus of 21 species within the amaryllis family, ranging from the Pyrenees through South and Central Europe to the Caspian Sea and the Middle East. Four of them are frequent sights in Hungary; Galanthus elwesii, plicatus and fosteri are popular in gardens while the common snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) is a native species protected by EU law since August 2005, with a conservation fine of 10.000 HUF for picking a single specimen. Snowdrops are found in moist or semi-arid deciduous forests, Mediterranean subalpine shrublands and, occasionally, pine forests.
Blooming from early spring or even from late winter, snowdrops are bulbous perennials, with 2 to 3 dark green leaves per bulb and a single flower hanging from a pedicel on each stalk.
Debrecen Zoo and Amusement Park
