Best time to see: mid Mar to mid May

Key facts

A characteristic plant of ancient woodland, carpeting large areas with its white flowers, veined with purple

Grows from underground root-like stems called rhizomes that spread below the surface to create large clumps

Flowers early, in March, and is visited by bees to collect pollen at a time when little else is available

Extras

Single white, sometimes pink-tinged, 6-petalled flowers, with green veins; 20–40 mm

3 long-stalked leaves in a whorl just below the flowers, palmate and deeply lobed