# whitesnow (*Drymaria cordata*)

Whitesnow is a small, pretty plant that loves to grow in sunny places. It has tiny white flowers that look like little stars, making it a delightful sight in gardens and fields.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Urban areas

![whitesnow](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Drymaria_cordata_02.JPG&width=800)

Photo: Krish Dulal, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Drymaria_cordata_02.JPG)

## Appearance

The whitesnow is a delicate, low-growing plant with numerous tiny, star-shaped white flowers. Its bright green, heart-shaped leaves often form a dense, creeping mat, creating a dazzling, carpet-like effect where it grows.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Caryophyllales
- **Family:** Caryophyllaceae
- **Genus:** Drymaria

## Interesting facts

- Despite its name, whitesnow thrives in warm, tropical places, not actual snow!
- Each little flower has petals deeply divided, making them look like a tiny, glowing star!
- Its scientific name, Drymaria, hints at dry conditions, but it actually loves moisture!
- This tiny plant can spread its cheerful white flowers all over a garden bed like a living blanket!

## Special abilities

- **Ground Hugger:** Whitesnow can quickly cover ground using its creeping stems, which helps it outcompete other plants for sunlight and space to grow.
- **Seed Spreader:** Whitesnow has many tiny seeds that are easily dispersed by wind, allowing it to spread far and wide and find new places to grow.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 5-20 cm
- **Spread:** 20-50 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.3-0.5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring to fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Tiny bees visit its small white flowers for nectar.
- **Eaten by:** [Garden Snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — Snails sometimes munch on its tender leaves.
- **Eaten by:** [House Sparrow](https://www.snappit.app/explore/house-sparrow) (*Passer domesticus*) — Small birds might feast on its tiny, numerous seeds.

## Traits

- [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form.
- [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always check with an adult before touching or picking plants.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify whitesnow?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is whitesnow?

5-20 cm

### How wide does whitesnow spread?

20-50 cm

### How big are the flowers on whitesnow?

0.3-0.5 cm

### When does whitesnow bloom?

Spring to fall

### Is whitesnow edible?

No

### Is whitesnow toxic?

None

### What is whitesnow's lifecycle?

Annual

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Whitesnow: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/whitesnow)