Snowdrop Flower
(Galanthus sp.)

Snowdrops are usually the first flowers of Spring, often emerging long before the danger of snow and freezing weather has passed. Once the flower bud is mature, the flower will open fairly quickly on warm sunny days. Like crocus and tulip flowers, cells on the inside surface of the snowdrop petals grow faster when it is warm than do cells on the outside surface. When cold, cells on the inner surface slow their growth while cells on the outer surface grow relatively faster causing the flower to close. The snowdrop flower in this movie was picked on a cold night and brought indoors where it was warmed to induce the opening response. This flower opened in about an hour (frames were captured at five second intervals).