Chionodoxa (Chionodoxa) - a short perennial that is part of the Liliaceae family. Distribution area - Crete island, Asia Minor.
Botanical Description
Bulbous plant, which simultaneously grows flower stalks and root foliage of dark green color:
- form - broad-lanceolate or grooved, length - up to 12 cm.
- bell-shaped buds, color - from white to blue. The fruit is in the form of a juicy box with black seeds.
- the bulbs are ovoid, length - 30 mm, width - 1.7 cm. Covered with small light scales.
Hionodox lucilia and other species
There are 6 varieties of chionodoxes that are available for breeding at home:
| View | Description | Leaves | Flowers Flowering period |
| Giant (large-flowered) | Homeland - Asia Minor. Unpretentious appearance, the bulb has an oval shape, diameter from 1 to 3 cm. It is considered the founder of varieties having white and blue inflorescences. | Narrow, basal, length - from 9 to 13 cm. Form - linear, color - dark green. | Paired, have shortened peduncles. Buds with a diameter of up to 6 cm. Blue or saturated lilac, pharynx - pale blue. March-April, duration about 3 weeks. |
| Lucilia | A rounded or elongated bulb with a diameter of about 2 cm. It was brought to Europe in 1765. The plant is unpretentious and winter-hardy. | Linear, shortened. | Small, have pointed petals. Color - milky or blue. In the peduncle from 3 to 5 buds. Early spring, duration - about 2 weeks. |
| Sardinian (Sardinian) | Early view. Brown rounded bulb, diameter about 2 cm. Covered with scales. | Linear, bright green. | Small, deep blue, have a light cream transition to the pharynx. Peduncle length up to 15 cm. The first decade of spring, duration - up to 2 weeks. |
| Dwarf | The smallest member of the genus. Widely used to decorate multi-tiered flower beds. | Large, undersized. The shape is linear. | The buds have a color from light blue to pale pink, diameter - up to 2 cm. April-May. |
| White | Brown onion up to 2 cm in size. Negatively related to dark areas. | Linear, dark green. | Srednerosly, color - from white to lilac-pink. Buds in diameter up to 1 cm. Early spring, duration - about 2 weeks. |
| Forbes | The most popular view. Opened in 1880 in Turkey, grown in peat and drained soil. | Linear, shortened. | Blue, the core is white. The diameter of the buds is up to 2.5 cm. March. |
Hionodox blue giant and other varieties
From these types of chionodox several original varieties were bred:
| View | Description |
| Violet Beauty | Bulbous perennial with bell-shaped buds. Color - purple, pharynx - milky hue. |
| Blue giant | Perennial, flowers are small, bright blue, the core is white. The trunk grows to 15 cm. The foliage is straight. |
| Mixture | A short plant with different shades of buds (from white to rich purple). |
| Alba | Perennial up to 14 cm high. Foliage straight, linear. |
Landing time
The optimal period is the beginning of autumn, then root-type ridges appear on the flower bottoms. They select both high-quality illuminated areas and partial shade.
Chionodox planting
Bulbs-children are placed to a depth of 80 mm, between them there should be a distance of about 50 mm.
Seeds are sown in pre-created trenches, deepened by 20 mm (the first flowering is expected only next year).
The plant tolerates transplantation well, so even perennial shrubs easily share. For autumn planting, hionodox bulbs are removed from the ground in mid-July and stored in a dry, darkened place.
Chionodox Care
With a well-chosen place for planting, the flower does not need special care.
If there is a possibility, then after the foliage, the soil around the flower is gently loosened and old grass removed.
Watering is not performed, especially when landing in Central Russia, there during this period the land is well saturated with moisture. They are fed with complex minerals, performed before the yellowing of the foliage.
After the growing season, these plants no longer require care in the open.
Transplantation and reproduction
The most popular method of reproduction is the division of the maternal bulb; in the summer there are about 4 children.
Without changing the place, the flower can grow up to 10 years, but once every five years its nests are torn, divided into several parts and transplanted.
The bulb is removed from the earth in the middle of summer, when the ground part of the chionodox turns yellow and dries. The soil is transported in August or September.
Breeding a plant with the seed method is not the best option, since these flowers effectively increase their number by self-sowing: on the planting material there is a fleshy plot that is popular with ants that carry it outside the garden.
Diseases and Pests
Since chionodox is a bulbous plant, it suffers from the following series of diseases:
- fungus;
- gray and white rot;
- Achelenhoeids;
- Fusarium
These diseases directly injure the bulb; they learn about the lesion by its yellowing and withering, when nothing can be changed. Before planting these flowers, planting material is etched with Fundazoom.
They also prevent stagnation of moisture in the soil, as this leads to rotting of the root system. What accompany brown necromatic spots. Such a plant is poorly developed and practically does not bloom, the appearance is painful.
Of the pests, rodents and root mite larvae are also dangerous.
To get rid of insects, the shrub is sprayed with acaricides Akarin, Actellik or Aktara. Mice and moles are driven out by baits with poison spread out over the site.
Occasionally, slugs affect hionodox; they are eliminated manually.
Mr. Summer resident advises: hionodoksa in landscape design
Decorative features, attractive appearance, unpretentiousness in care and long flowering are the reasons why the plant is widely used in decorating gardens.
Natural rockeries and alpine hills help chionodox to reveal its beauty even better, and when planting near a sprawling tree, the flower looks especially picturesque.
They are used to decorate flower beds in combination with other perennials. Planted next to primrose, liverworts, hellebores. A combination with daffodils, dwarf irises, and crocuses is considered quite harmonious.
