Everyone knows that they have a specific birthstone that is placed in jewelry and trinkets to signify the month they were born in. However, many people don't know that just like the stones, each month has a flower or two as well, which symbolizes birth. Here is the history and meaning behind your birth flower.

January: Snowdrop
Alternate: Carnation

Not nearly as known or often as heard of as the Carnation, the Snowdrop is also a flower that symbolizes being born in the month of January. The Snowdrop, also known as Galanthus nivalis can grow to be 15cm tall and traditionally first flowers in either January or February in the north.

The Snowdrop is a white flower with three small petals in the middle surrounded by three larger petals on the outside. It is similar but should not be confused with the Snowflake, which also has six petals but is much larger and all the petals are the same size.

There are two other types of Snowdrops, the Crimean snowdrop also known as Galanthus plicatus, which stands 30cm tall flowering in January and March, and the Giant snowdrop or Galanthus elwesii, which is 23cm tall, flowers in January and February that normally has green blotches on the inner petals.

Fun and interesting fact: In 1983 it was suggested that the magical herb "moly" from Homer's Odyssey is really a Snowdrop. One of the active substances in a Snowdop is galantamine which could have acted as an antidote to poison. Today galantamine can be used to help treat patients with Alzheimer's disease.

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