Content
Planting and caring for chionodoxes in the open ground is possible even for novice gardeners, since the perennial is unpretentious. It appears at the same time as the blueberry and the snowdrop, when the snow has not yet completely melted. The tenderness and sophistication of this flower are used in landscape design.
History of appearance
The name Chionodoxa (lat. Chionodoxa) comes from the Greek words “chion” and “doxa”, which means “snow” and “pride”. This is due to the fact that the plant appears under the snow. It also has popular names - snowman, snow beauty.
In Russian-language literature, Chionodoxa is often called Scilla luciliae. This bulbous perennial got its name in honor of Lucille, the wife of botanist Pierre Edmond Boissier.
Breeders work with different plant species to produce hybrids. A whole series of them was created by V. Khondyrev.
Description and characteristics
Chionodoxes belong to the genus Scylla and the Liliaceae family. In nature they are found in Asia Minor and Crete. Characteristics of the bulbous plant:
- height 0.1-0.2 cm;
- peduncle length up to 0.2 m;
- annual roots;
- basal leaf plates (1 pair) 8-12 cm long, dark green in color, grooved and broadly lanceolate, appear simultaneously with peduncles;
- brushes with 2-3 buds are formed at the ends of the peduncles;
- the flowers are bell-shaped and have 6 petals, diameter 2.5-4 cm;
- the inflorescence is racemose and loose, the flowers can be solitary;
- the leaves of the prostrate broadly bell-shaped or star-shaped perianth are fused at the base, slightly thrown back;
- the fruit of Chionodoxa is a fleshy capsule with black round seeds having a juicy appendage;
- The bulbs have an ovoid shape, length 2-3 cm, width 1.5 cm, light scaly surface, 2 annual cycles.
Chionodoxa is a myrmecochorous plant - ants eat and distribute its seeds
When and how does it bloom
Chionodoxa is an early perennial. Its flowering usually begins in April, when it gets warmer outside. Some varieties have a later date and occur in May.
The color of the plant is different, but all shades are calm. Flowers are white, blue, blue, pink, lilac, purple.
The color of Chionodoxa flowers is uneven - there is a light spot in the center, towards the tips of the petals the shade becomes darker and more saturated
Flowering lasts only 2-3 weeks. The growing season ends at the beginning of summer with the death of the aboveground part of the plant.
Types and varieties
There are few varieties of Chionodoxa, but the perennial hybridizes well with other plants. This made it possible to create interesting varieties and hybrids. Only half of the species are used in horticulture. Photos of different varieties of Chionodoxa will show you the diversity of species.
Chionodoxa whitish
Chionodoxa albescens, contrary to its name, has pale pink flowers with a lilac tint. It grows up to 0.1-0.15 m. There can be 1-3 buds on one peduncle.
Chionodoxa whitish has small flowers with a diameter of 1 cm
Chionodoxa Forbes
Chionodoxa forbesii, or Chionodoxa tmolusi, can be found naturally in southern Turkey (Aladağ mountain range). The plant prefers a height of up to 2.5 km. It has been cultivated since 1976. Characteristics:
- height up to 0.25 m;
- peduncle no higher than 0.15 m, with up to 15 buds;
- in vertical loose inflorescences, the width is less than the length;
- flowers up to 3.5 cm in diameter, blue in color, with a white spot surrounding the eye;
- some varieties have white or pink color;
- The plant does not set seeds and reproduces only by bulbs.
Crossing this species with scilla bifolia led to the creation of a new hybrid. They call it Chionoscilla. The height of such a plant is up to 0.1 m, the inflorescences are dense, the flowers are small, blue in color and star-shaped.
Blue Giant
Chionodoxa Forbes Blue Giant is distinguished by its intense blue color. This variety was named blue giant because of its color and large size for its species. It grows up to 0.2 m, the size of the bulbs is 5 cm.
Flowering of the Blue Giant variety, depending on the region, occurs in March-May
Pink Giant
The Pink Giant variety attracts with the pink-lavender color of its flowers. The height of the plants reaches 15 cm. They have dark stems and sparse narrow leaves. Up to 10 flowers with a white core are formed.
Pink Giant blooms in March-April
Chionodoxa Lucilia
In nature, Chionodoxa luciliae can be found in the mountainous regions of Asia Minor. The plant has been cultivated since 1764. Main characteristics:
- height up to 0.2 m;
- peduncles up to 0.2 m, have up to 20 buds;
- flowers up to 3 cm in diameter, blue-blue color with a white core;
- the plant blooms in April-May;
- bulbs are round and small in size;
- The flowering of garden forms of this phylum can be white or pink.
Chionodoxa Lucilia blooms for 3 weeks
Alba
The Alba variety means snow-white flowers. Their diameter is up to 2.5 cm. The height of the plant is no more than 0.1-0.15 m. The inflorescences are racemose, each with 3-4 buds.
The Alba variety blooms in April-May for 1.5-2 weeks
Violet Beauty
The Violet Beauty variety stands out for its pink-purple blooms. It starts at the end of March. The height of the plant does not exceed 0.1-0.15 m.
Violet Beauty is a hybrid. 4-5 buds are formed on peduncles.
Violet Beauty feels good both in the sun and in partial shade
Rosea
Plants of the Rosea variety grow up to 0.2-0.25 m. Characteristics:
- peduncles have up to 15 buds;
- vertical loose inflorescences-tassels half a plant high;
- flowering in the middle zone occurs in April.
Rosea flowers are 1-3.5 cm across
Chionodoxa gigantea
In some sources, the giant chionodoxa (Chionodoxa gigantea) is not called an independent species, but a synonym for Chionodoxa Lucilia.In its natural form, it is a plant of the alpine belt in the mountains of Asia Minor. It has been cultivated since 1878. Main characteristics:
- peduncles up to 0.1 m, each with 1-5 buds;
- basal leaves taper upward;
- bright blue perianths with a violet tint, the throat is lighter;
- flowering begins until mid-April;
- The bulbs are dense and light, ovoid in shape, up to 3 cm in size.
Chionodoxa sardinica
The Sardinian chionodoxa (Chionodoxa sardensis) is native to the mountainous regions of Asia Minor. The perennial has been cultivated since 1885. Basic flower parameters:
- the average height of peduncles is 0.1 m, each with up to 10 buds;
- the diameter of the flowers is 1.5-2 cm, the color is bright blue;
- Cultivated varieties have white or pink colors;
- flowering lasts 3-3.5 weeks;
- the bulbs are ovoid, covered with brownish scales;
- The plant blooms 5-6 days after the giant Chionodoxa.
A distinctive feature of Chionodoxa Sardinian is the absence of a white spot in the throat
Chionodoxa Cretan
Cretan chionodoxa (Chionodoxa cretica) is also called dwarf (Chionodoxa nana). The first option is explained by the size of the plant, the second by its habitat in nature, the subalpine belt of the mountains of the island of Crete. This perennial is rarely cultivated. The characteristics are as follows:
- height of peduncles 0.1-0.15 m, each with 1-5 buds;
- flower diameter up to 1 cm;
- perianths are blue.
Reproduction methods
Chionodoxa can be propagated vegetatively or by seeds. It is easier to use the first option, that is, to separate the children from the parent plant; each bush produces 2 of them per season.
To propagate by bulbs, they must be dug up in the second half of July.Before planting, the collected material should be kept in a dark and dry place at a temperature of 15-17 °C
Chionodoxa reproduces well by self-sowing, but ants can spread the seeds throughout the area. Self-collection of seed material will help to avoid this, which must be done before the boxes burst. It is convenient to wrap them in gauze in advance. Seedlings are grown from the harvested material, which are then transferred to open ground.
Planting and caring for Chionodox
Chionodox attract gardeners not only for their tenderness and early flowering, but also for their unpretentiousness. It is not difficult to plant a perennial; its care must be comprehensive, but all measures are simple.
Landing dates
Chionodoxes are usually planted as bulbs. It is recommended to do this at the very beginning of autumn, when root ridges are finally formed on the bottoms.
Preparing the site and soil
Chionodoxes prefer open and well-lit areas where they bloom as early as possible. You can plant them near trees and shrubs, since in early spring there is no foliage on them yet. In this case, flowering will begin later, but the decorative effect will last longer.
Optimal growing conditions:
- loose, nutritious and moderately moist soil;
- soil reaction is neutral or slightly alkaline;
- remoteness of groundwater;
- effectively adding forest soil with rotted leaves and tree bark.
After planting Chionodoxa, it is recommended to apply nitrogen fertilizers.
Landing
Chionodoxa is planted similarly to other bulbous crops.If the material is prepared independently, then immediately before placing it in a permanent place, the nest must be divided along the line of shares. Landing algorithm:
- Dig up the selected area, remove weeds, and loosen it.
- Soak the bulbs in advance in a solution of potassium permanganate.
- Prepare depressions at intervals of 5-10 cm, depending on the size of the planting material.
- Place the bulbs in the holes. Large specimens should be buried by 6-8 cm, smaller ones by 4-6 cm.
Aftercare
It is difficult to find a more unpretentious flower than Chionodoxa. The first care for it consists of the following activities:
- watering if the spring is dry and there was little snow in winter;
- loosening the soil around plants;
- weeding;
- mulching – dry peat, humus.
In the future, watering is needed only during prolonged drought. The water should be settled and not cold. Watering needs to be plentiful, do it early in the morning, avoiding moisture getting on the flowers.
It is enough to feed the perennial once per season. Complex mineral fertilizers such as nitroammophoska are effective. They provide abundant and long-lasting flowering. If the product is granular, then distribute it evenly over the soil and lightly loosen it.
At the beginning of Chionodoxa flowering, you can feed the plant with organic matter to stimulate it.
Preparing for winter
When flowering ends, you need to get rid of all the arrows. The foliage is left until completely withered, then cut off.
Chionodoxa is characterized by high frost resistance. If the region has a mild climate, then the perennial does not need any shelter. You need to organize it if the flower grows in an open area.To do this, use fallen leaves or spruce branches. Cover the plant in late autumn.
Diseases and pests
Chionodoxa is resistant to many diseases, but unfavorable factors can provoke them. More often it is high humidity, flooding of the soil.
One of the problems is gray rot. The defeat leads to rotting of the bulbs. Externally, the disease manifests itself as slow development, poor flowering, yellowing and drying of leaves. On the affected parts of the plant, a dark and fluffy coating appears first, then a gray powdery coating.
Bulbs affected by gray rot must be destroyed. For prevention, plant residues are burned, and planting material is treated with preparations containing fludioxonil (fungicide) before storing.
Gray rot spreads quickly, spores are carried by wind and moisture during watering and precipitation
Another fungal infection is fusarium. It manifests itself as dark spots on the foliage, followed by blackening, drying out and falling off. In the advanced stage, the bulb is affected. Diseased plants should be disposed of, and the rest should be sprayed with Fundazol (Benomyl).
Risk factors for fusarium - changes in temperature and humidity of air and soil, deficiency of nutrients
Of the fungal diseases, chionodoxa can be affected by septoria. On the leaves it appears as dark spots with a red border and a light area inside. The affected areas turn yellow and dry out, and flowering suffers. Fungicides are used to combat the fungus.
To prevent septoria, it is necessary to remove plant debris and spray the plantings with fungicides.
The onion root mite is a dangerous pest. Affected tubers quickly die and become unsuitable for reproduction. To fight the enemy, acaricides are used - Aktaru, Aktellik, Akarin.
The onion mite has a whitish or yellowish color and is only 1 mm in size.
Chionodoxa is also harmed by mice and moles. Plant bulbs provide food for them. To combat rodents, poisons, mechanical traps, and repellers are used.
Moles, mice and other rodents are afraid of the blackroot plant, popularly called the rat racer.
Chionodoxa flowers in landscape design
When using chionodoxes in landscape design, it is important to remember that in the summer their above-ground parts die off. The decorative effect of this plant is short-lived.
Chionodoxa fills the space under trees well in spring and revitalizes the lawn
This perennial should be combined with other early flowers: spring adonis (adonis), armeria, its flowering begins in late spring and lasts all summer, white flower, hyacinths, irises (low-growing species), kandyk (erythronium), hellebore, primrose (primrose), liverwort (copse), snowdrops.
Chionodoxes are short-growing and unpretentious, which makes them a welcome guest in rockeries and rock gardens. These flowers thrive among stones and gravel.
Chionodoxa is effective when planted in small groups
In a multi-stage design, Chionodoxa are planted at the bottom level. Other flowering plants and evergreen shrubs serve as a good background for them.
Chionodoxa is good for filling empty spaces, creating a beautiful flowering carpet
This early perennial can be placed along borders.It looks impressive in linear plantings.
Melting snow is an excellent background for Chionodoxa and a source of moisture it needs.
Chionodoxas planted near the house enliven the view from the window
Recommendations
Chionodoxa is easy to grow. The following recommendations will help to intensify its activity and increase its decorativeness:
- It is effective to force chionodoxa for active development and abundant flowering. The plant looks good in pots and containers and can be grown in them.
- Drainage and good gas exchange can be ensured by adding sand and crushed stone.
- Chionodoxa does not like lowlands. If the site is like this, then it is better to plant the perennial on a slope or make an artificial hill for it.
- The plant needs to be replanted every 5-7 years, otherwise it will become smaller.
- The composition of heavy soil can be improved by adding peat and sand - 1 bucket per 1 m².
Conclusion
Planting and caring for Chionodox in open ground is much easier compared to other garden plants. This perennial is unpretentious, is one of the first to bloom, and is not afraid of cold weather. It goes well with other colors and can be effectively used in landscape design.
