The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Chionodoxa

(glory-of-the-snow), a genus of bulbous plants of the family Liliaceae. The leaves are radical and linear, and the flowers are in few-flowered racemes with low, leafless pedicels. The lobes of the perianth are fused at the base; the bell-shaped to funnel-shaped (or almost stellate) perianth is blue-violet, blue-purple (sometimes with an eyelet), blue, white, or pink (in cultivated forms). The stamens are free. Flowering occurs in early spring. There are about six species, found in Asia Minor and on the islands of the Eastern Mediterranean in mountains at elevations to 2,000 m. All species are decorative; most frequently cultivated is the species C. luciliae and its varieties.

References in periodicals archive

Chionodoxa will flower in part shade and in the wild it is found in poor soil in harsh mountain conditions.

Garden cuttings

Other good candidates for naturalising include the dainty Chionodoxa luciliae, glory of the snow, which likes dappled shade, and anemone blanda, which likes well-drained soil with added compost in sun or partial shade, within a tree canopy or in short, thin grass.

The right bulb moment; As spring bulb planting gets underway, HANNAH STEPHENSON looks at how to naturalise your favourites to achieve swathes of colour in lawns, woodlands and other situations

Or if you love the wild primrose, Primula vulgaris, try it with puschkinia, sci llas or chionodoxa and anemone nemoro sa, our Or if you love the wild primrose, Primula vulgaris, try it with puschkinia, sci llas or chionodoxa and anemone nemoro sa, our native wood anemone.

PRIMED FOR ThE SPRING; RIGHT AT HOME Winter has finally gone and there is no better sign than cheerful clumps of primroses, wild or in gardens, dazzling in brilliant shades

Or if you love the wild primrose, Primula vulgaris, try it with puschkinia, scillas or chionodoxa and anemone nemorosa, our native wood anemone.

Prim numbers; Add primulas for a perfect spring show Spring has finally arrived and there is no better sign than cheerful clumps of primroses, wild or in gardens, dazzling in brilliant shades..

They'll look gorgeous when combined with other late winter/ early spring flowers such as primulas, pulmonarias and bergenias, along with some spring bulbs like snowdrops, chionodoxa and crocuses.

Heaven's a hellebore; The long winter days are forgotten when this handsome and hardy perennial has its deserved moment in the sun

Snowdrops, snowflakes, crocus, muscari, chionodoxa, and other minor bulbs costs only a few cents each and are big on pleasure next spring.

Your gardening answers; Tidying garden will help plants survive

In addition shallow troughs of colourful alpines on waist-high staging, including cyclamen, chionodoxa, anemone, dwarf narcissi and primulas create a riot of colour in late winter and early spring.

Winter warmer; NOW'S THE TIME THE GREENHOUSE COMES INTO ITS OWN, SAYS HANNAH STEPHENSON

OFFER C: Jumbo Mixed bag of 125 bulbs comprising 10 Peacock Tulip, 35 Specie Crocus, 35 Anemone De Caen, 15 Dwarf Narcissi and 30 Chionodoxa. At just pounds 9.95 it'll add splashes of colour and interest.

The Mag: Homes & Gardens: 20 FREE bulbs for every reader

Chionodoxa, or 'Glory of the Snow', are wonderful miniature plants which can liven up a corner adding a splash of dazzling blue and growing to 6in (15cm) high.

Garden cuttings

I'll be planting tulips in big half-barrels, as well as increasing my stock of little guys like grape hyacinths (muscari) and heavenly blue chionodoxa. But the major priority is to plant more bulbs to spread and naturalise.

It's a bulb's life; Now that winter is just around the corner, it's time to start laying the foundations of a garden to be proud of next year

Many of the blue bulbs, chionodoxa and scilla, are perfect partners and can be encouraged to naturalise by allowing seedheads to form and scatter their seed willy-nilly.

Winter's bright stars

And if you are still bulb-planting now, remember that wood anemones, scilla, chionodoxa and dwarf daffodils are all ideal for growing in grass, providing nectar for emerging bees in spring.

It really is the bees' needs; GARDENING As the decline in bees continues, the government's newly-launched Bee and Pollinator Strategy aims to buck the trend. Hannah Stephenson looks at how gardeners can do their bit to encourage bees back into their garden