Chionodoxa

Jane McGary janemcgary@earthlink.net
Thu, 27 Mar 2003 19:13:44 PST
Jim Waddick wrote,
>	There isn't much discussion of Chinodoxa, but they are a 
>force in the garden these days. A mix of C. lucillae and C. gigantea 
>show quite a bit of variation suggesting these are seed grown. Most 
>are clear blue, some have white centers. A few are mostly white with 
>blue tips and even fewer are near lilac.
>	I have a few hundred grown in the lawn and they are quite striking.
>	Smaller (yard wide) clumps of Pink Giant suddenly burst into 
>'pinkness' and now have faded to near white. 
>	The various 'alba' all seem weaker and none have the garden presence.
>	I understand there is also a 'Blue Giant'.
>	Definitely need many more. I recall some reports of C 
>sardensis (sp?) as very reliable too. Need a good source.


I think Chionodoxa sardensis is widely available. McClure & Zimmerman
probably offer it. It is a bit of a pest in some places here, so I can send
Jim some if I remember!

I dislike the "pink" forms, which are a washed-out color. However, I have a
very good pure white one that increases fast in this climate. I don't know
which species it pertains to, since the names were all shuffled around in
recent years.

The best color of any that I have is C. tmolii, grown from seed. It is a
really deep, almost pure blue.

I have also seen the bigeneric hybrid X Chionoscilla allenii, from a
Chionodoxa crossed with Scilla bifolia, come up in a raised bed in the open
garden here. It seems quite permanent too.

Jane McGary
Northwestern Oregon, USA


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