Chionodoxa

Light conditions: full sun and partial shade.

Applications: in borders, rock gardens, containers and under trees and shrubs.

Chionodoxa comes from the Greek word chion meaning 'snow' and doxa meaning 'fame'. The popular name is therefore a literal translation of the botanical name. This also applies to the translation in English 'Glory of the Snow', and in German (Schneeruhm or Schneeglanz). The French refer to this bulbous plant as Chionodoxa hyacinthedes neiges.

Chionodoxa species look beautiful when planted in the environment of many perennials. They bloom earlier than most perennials. The bulbs are also useful for placing next to deciduous shrubs. As with many other flower bulbs, it is possible to plant Chionodoxa in the grass. The bulbs of the Chionodoxa easily naturalize. They not only produce bulbs, but under good conditions they also produce seed that will germinate. So it is that young plants sometimes bloom in a different corner of the garden. This is often the work of animals that take the seed to another corner of the garden. Let the leaves on the bulbs lie in the autumn so that the leaves can enrich the soil. As a result, more bulbs grow the year after. (IBC)