About Galanthus elwesii Hook.f.
Galanthus elwesii, commonly known as Elwes's snowdrop or greater snowdrop, is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae. It is native to the Balkans and Asia Minor, where it occurs in Bosnia, Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia, Moldova, Ukraine, and Turkey. This herbaceous perennial grows to 20–25 cm (7.9–9.8 in) tall, and develops from a globose bulb 2–3 cm in diameter. It produces two obtuse, linear, blue-green leaves. The flowers are globose, white, pendulous, 2–3 cm long, and grow singly at the tip of a solid, pointed scape. The outer floral tepals are oblanceolate, while the shorter inner tepals are emarginate (notched at the apex), tapering towards their base with green patches at both the apex and base. The fruit is a dehiscent capsule with three valves. Overall, Galanthus elwesii is a more robust plant than G. nivalis. Though native to the Balkans and Asia Minor, the species has been widely introduced to other areas outside its native range. Galanthus elwesii is grown as an ornamental plant in gardens, where it naturalizes easily. Bulbs planted in the autumn produce flowers in early spring. Propagation is done by separating bulbils after flowering. In the UK, the unmodified species Galanthus elwesii, the cultivar 'Comet', and the variety monostictus have all received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
