A clump of Common snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) flowering in late winter. This popular member of the amaryllidaceae family is useful for naturalizing in shady corners of the gardens and in woodlands. Snowdrops are perennial, herbaceous plants which grow from bulbs. They are often the first flowers to be seen, as early as January in some climates, and in late winter they make a beautiful carpet of green and white in wooded areas where they are found growing in the wild.