How do Snowdrops survive the winter?

Snowdrops are a lot tougher than they appear, their delicate leaves have hardened tips which allow them to push up through semi-frozen ground (this is a great thing to investigate for yourself next time you see them just starting to show above ground) The cells of the plant also contain antifreeze proteins; these protect the cells from ice crystals which would otherwise cause cells to burst with every hard frost and eventually kill the plant. Instead the leaves and stems of snowdrops will just droop over in freezing temperatures, only to revive into their usual upright position once things have warmed back up again, appearing completely unscathed.

A problem for all early flowering plants is how to keep pollen dry in rainy and humid conditions, pollen attracts insects most effectively when it is dry, and more insect visits means a better chance of pollination and seed formation. Snowdrops are one of several plant species with heat reactive flowers which help to keep the pollen dry. More specifically, they have tepals which are thermotropic, meaning that they move when the temperature hits a certain temperature. This feature keeps the flowers closed up when temperatures are below 10 degrees Celsius, protecting the pollen from the likely wintery showers; once the temperature is over 10 degrees Celsius the tepals open up and orient slightly more upwards to allow for easier access by pollinating insects, which are also more likely to be active in warmer temperatures. Even with this adaptation, pollination rates are significantly lower for winter and early spring flowering plants and many, such as snowdrops, wild garlic and bluebells rely more heavily on spreading through bulb division.