[2] It is referred to by the common name Cretan glory-of-the-snow, and is a bulbous perennial native to Crete, flowering in early spring.

Like all members of the former genus Chionodoxa, the bases of the stamens are flattened and closely clustered in the middle of the flower.

[5] In 1993, the Natural History Museum's checklist of the Cretan Flora recognized only Scilla nana.

[6] As of March 2020[update], the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families accepted both S. cretica and S.

[1][7] Sfikas regards S. cretica as being larger, with bluer flowers, occurring below 1700 m and S. nana as smaller, with whitish flowers, occurring above 1700 m.[5] Scilla cretica is native to Crete where it is found at elevations of 1300–1700 m.[1]