Michael's Opinion
You either love this bulb or hate it because it can rapidly spread and escape from garden beds, cross driveways and appear in the neighbours lawn. For me its promiscuity is one of its charms and I am always prepared for its vivacious presence in the garden, there is nothing more pleasing to the eye in spring than to see masses of these pale blue or pink ('Pink Giant') blooms cavorting through the garden as the snow melts.
Botanical Information
| Family | Asparagaceae |
| Genus | Chionodoxa |
| Species | forbesii |
| Synonyms | Chionodoxa gigantea |
| Category | Bulbs, Perennials |
| Origin | Chionodoxa comes from the Greek word chion, meaning snow and doxa which means glory, referring to the wildflowers that bloom in the melting snow. |
Description and Growing Information
| Pests | Nematodes. |
| Notable Specimens | The A.M. Cuddy Gardens, Strathroy, Ontario, Canada. |
| Leaf Description | Each bulb produces two leaves, up to 8 cm long and 2 cm wide. |
| Flower Description | The flowers are produced in a loose pyramidal raceme, with 2-3 flowers per stem, which face upwards. Each flower is up to 3.5 cm across. The base of each tepal is white (as are the stamen filaments), producing a white 'eye'. |
