Also snowflower.
† 1. = SNOWDROP 1. Obs.
1664. Evelyn, Kal. Hort., 81. December…. Flowers in Prime,… Snow flowers or drops, Yucca, &c.
2. (See quot.)
1836. [Mrs. Traill], Backwoods Canada, 240–1. The hepatica is the first flower of the Canadian spring…. The Canadians call it snow-flower, from its coming so soon after the snow disappears.
3. = SNOWDROP TREE 1.
1862. Chambers’s Encycl., IV. 527/1. The Common Fringe tree or Snowflower … has … very numerous snow-white flowers in panicled racemes.
1866. Treas. Bot., 1067/2. Snowflower, Chionanthus virginica.
