Chionodox is a low perennial flower from the Liliaceae family. The culture has earned its popularity due to the fact that it differs in early abundant flowering. The plant appears as soon as snow melts, and blooms lushly during spring.
General characteristics
Chionodoxa is a plant belonging to the genus Scilla from the asparagus family. In total, the species has 6-8 representatives. The first mention of the flower appeared in 1877. The plant got its name in honor of the wife of a naturalist from Switzerland, Pierre Emond Boissier Lucille.
The height of the bushes is from 10 to 20 cm. Each flower has 2 leaf-shaped plates of a lanceolate shape. The sheet length is up to 12 cm. The hue is dark green, saturated.
Hionodox
Each bulb produces a peduncle, at the end of which a brush of 3-5 buds is collected. The average flower diameter is 4 cm. The color of the buds depends on the variety. Basic shades: blue, saturated blue, white, lilac, purple and pink.
After flowering, the plant produces fruits - seed boxes. Propagation of flowers occurs in a bulbous manner.
Species diversity
Experts count from 6 to 8 varieties of plants. Hionodox flowers have common species characteristics, but at the same time have distinctive properties that allow them to be distinguished into a separate category.
Chionodox Forbes (Latin name - Chionodoxa forbesii)
The second name of the flower is chionodox Tmoluza. The culture is large. Its bushes reach 25 cm. Strong flower stalks form in the plant, on each up to 15 buds are formed. Colors: from white to pink.
Common varieties:
- Chionodoxa Giant Alba (Chionodoxa Alba);
- Pink Giant (large variety, characterized by a pink hue with a lilac shimmer);
- Chionodoxa Giant Blue Giant.
Hionodox Pink Giant
Important! Varieties Cretan, white, Mrs. Lok are not grown as ornamental plants. They are used to breed new hybrids.
Chionodox of Lucilia (Latin name - Chionodoxa luciliae)
Otherwise, this variety is called giant chionodox. The natural habitat of the flower are the mountains of Asia Minor. The plant reaches 20 cm. Inflorescences form no more than 10 buds with small flowers. Petals of flowers of blue color with a white center. During the flowering period, a gradual blooming of buds is noted.
Specialists distinguish several main varieties:
- Hionodox Lucilia Alba. It differs in white color and small size. Peduncles do not exceed 10 cm. Flowers of chionodoxes of Lucilia Alba are large. In the dissolved state, they reach a diameter of 4 cm.
- Hionodoxa Rosea. The variety was named for the delicate pink shades of buds. Chionodoxa Rosea has many varieties. Rosie Queen and Pink Queen flowers are more popular than the rest.
- Hionodox Violet Beauty. This variety appeared in 2009. Its height does not exceed 8 cm. The flowers are painted in purple and dark blue shades, have a white core.
Sioninian Chionodox (Chionodoxa sardensis)
This type of plant was discovered in Asia Minor. It belongs to tall (up to 12 cm in height), forms 10 buds, saturated blue shade. The flowers are not large, rarely exceed 2 cm across. The species of hardenodox sardensis became widespread after 1885. It includes a large number of hybrids with pink and white flowers.
Hionodox Sardinian
Hybrids
These plants were obtained by crossing pure species. They have intermediate symptoms. Popular hyionodox hybrids:
- Watercolor. Differs in flowers of a soft lilac shade with a white core. It has wide petals.
- Absolute. This is a hybrid of a higher level of adaptation to adverse conditions. Flowers have a delicate lilac color with a blue tint.
- Artemis. The bushes of the plant are low, reaching 10 cm. The flowers of this hionodox are wide-lobed, have a rich blue color.
- Aphrodite. The hybrid is distinguished by large flowers with long petals, the shade is snowy white.
- Arctic. A low hybrid with snow-white flowers.
- Andromeda. The hybrid has bright blue colors with contrasting white centers.
A distinctive feature of hybrids is increased resistance to diseases and the best indicators of winter hardiness.
Propagation Features
Chionodoxes are bulb plants. They reproduce in a vegetative way. For breeding, the mother plant is dug out of the ground in late July. The bulb is shaken off the ground and divided into smaller onions. They are stored in a cool dark place until autumn. Bulbs are sown in September or early October.
Note! Separation of daughter bulbs from the mother produce immediately before planting in the flower garden.
Another method of propagation is soil sowing by seeds. Such breeding plants are rarely used, because the culture blooms only for 3-4 years. Another reason for the inefficiency of the method is that the fleshy part of the seeds is a treat for ants, so insects quickly pull them away. Self-seeding often occurs, and then the plant becomes wild-growing.
Bulb propagation
Landing on the site
When growing Hionodox primroses, planting and care in the open ground play an important role for lush flowering. Bulb planting is carried out in the first weeks of September.
Procedure:
- The plot is chosen fertile with neutral acidity. The soil is pre-excavated. Sod, wood sawdust, humus are embedded in the soil.
- On the prepared flower bed, dig holes with an interval of 10 cm. Depending on the size of the bulbs, the depth of the holes is from 5 to 10 cm.
- Bulbs are placed in the center of the hole and covered with soil.
- Saplings are spilled with water and fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizers.
Features of agricultural technology
Chiondochocks are resistant to adverse natural phenomena, easily take root during transplantation.
Landing
Basic procedures for the care of chionodoxa:
- Lighting. Plants are photophilous. Flowers prefer light areas or a small shadow.
- Watering. Flowers need moderate watering in the morning. The water used is settled, warm.
- Mulching. Flowers respond positively to this procedure. As mulch use spruce needles, moss.
- Loosening. The process improves soil aeration. Tilling is combined with weeding and carried out the next day after watering or heavy rain.
- Top dressing. Complex fertilizers are applied 2-3 times per season. Dry mixes are evenly distributed over the site, mixing with the soil when loosening.
- Transfer. Transplanting plants is recommended in late July. They are dug together with bulbs and stored in a cool dark place. Plants are planted in a permanent place in the fall.
- Wintering. In regions with severe frosts and winds, when the temperature drops to 5 degrees below zero, flowerbeds cover. Bushes left without shelter are mulched with needles or covered with spruce branches.
Important! During irrigation, water is directed under the root. Moisture on leaf plates and inflorescences adversely affects the appearance of the flowers.
Flowering features
Chionodox are primroses. Peduncles they form in mid-spring. The flowering is magnificent. When planting crops in shaded areas, flower stalks are longer. In hionodox Blue Giant flowering lasts for 20 days. The giant chionodox Alba also blooms for a long time.
On average, no more than 14 days pass from the moment of blossoming to the moment of the flower stalk withering. The buds of some hybrids open in steps. An example of such a plant is Chionodoxa cultivar Luc Rosea. Thanks to this feature, gardeners enjoy flowering for a month.
Diseases and Pests
Fungal diseases are often found in chionodoxes. Most damage is caused by septoria and fusarium. Often culture is affected by gray rot. Signs of damage to the bulbs: yellow pigmentation, falling of leaf plates, drying out of the stems. For the prevention of diseases, pre-planting treatment of bulbs is carried out.
Important! Prevents the reproduction of the fungus by competent watering of plants and pre-planting treatment of bulbs with Fundazol.
Of the pests for the flower, meadow ticks and rodents are dangerous. To combat the larvae, the preparations Fitoverm and Akarin are used. Traps are placed against small rodents in the flower beds.
Use in garden design
The hionodox plant is used to decorate garden plots and parks. It can be seen in front of shrubs or on alpine hills, often the flower is combined with other bulbous plants. Blue Gigant Chionodoxa looks good together with snow-white Pushkinia. Hionodoxa Alba blends beautifully with irises. The bright hybrids of Hionodox Forbes are in harmony with Sparaxis and Ixia.
Hionodoxa decorates landscape compositions
These unusual and attractive flowers become the decoration of any garden in the spring. Chionodoxes are unpretentious, easily adapt to any conditions. Thanks to its resistance to frost, the crop is suitable for cultivation in the central and northern regions. Subject to the rules of agricultural technology, chionodoxes for a long time delight gardeners with a magnificent color.
