Copyright © Akinobu Yanagi Snow flowers OLYMPUS E-1 ZUIKO DIGITAL 14-54mm, F14 1/100sec. ISO100 5300K Winter time on the Midagahara Plateau near Mount Tateyama in the Northern Japanese Alps - white flowers in bloom? No, these aren't flowers. What you can see is rime, or ice crystals, on the dead stems of Angelica matsumurae. When the temperature drops below freezing point, nature steps in to create a wide variety of beautiful forms.