• Photo of Chionodoxa luciliae (Chionodoxa luciliaes)

Plant Profile: Chionodoxa luciliae

Taxonomy: Chionodoxa luciliae

Names

Glory of the Snow

  • Photo of Chionodoxa luciliae (Chionodoxa luciliaes)

Phonetic Spelling:kee-on-oh-DOCKS-ah loo-SIL-ee-eye

Genus:Chionodoxa

Species:luciliae

Family:Asparagaceae

Glory-in-the-Snow is a bulb that heralds the arrival of spring with its striking star-shaped flowers in shades of blue and purple. These blooms typically appear from February to March, with the foliage fading away by late spring or early summer.

For optimal growth, plant the bulbs in the fall at a depth of three inches and spaced two to three inches apart in well-drained garden soil. While they require moisture during their growing season, they can withstand dry summer conditions.

This versatile plant is ideal for various settings, including rock gardens, flower beds, ground covers, lawns, and woodland areas, and it establishes itself easily in the landscape.

Chionodoxa luciliae Feature Summary

Chionodoxa luciliae Image Gallery

Tags

#bulb
#drought tolerant
#blue flowers
#mass planting
#lilac flowers
#naturalizes
#rock gardens
#early spring flowers
#woodlands

Similar Plants

Chionodoxa luciliae is often confused with:

Chionodoxa luciliae Feature Summary

Flowers
1-inch violet-blue star-shaped flowers have white centers and appear in early spring in loose racemes of 2-5
Purple/Lavender
White
Blue
6 petals/rays
< 1 inch
Leaves
Produces two semi-erect, slightly recurving leaves.
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasionally Dry
Less than 12 inches
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
3a
3b
Clay
Loam (Silt)

Chionodoxa luciliae Attributes

Chionodoxa luciliae: Country Or Region Of Origin

Turkey

Chionodoxa luciliae: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Chionodoxa luciliae Flowers

Chionodoxa luciliae: Flower Description

1-inch violet-blue star-shaped flowers have white centers and appear in early spring in loose racemes of 2-5

Chionodoxa luciliae: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Blue
filter_vintage
Purple/Lavender
filter_vintage
White

Chionodoxa luciliae: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Chionodoxa luciliae: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Chionodoxa luciliae: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Chionodoxa luciliae: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Chionodoxa luciliae: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Chionodoxa luciliae Leaves

Chionodoxa luciliae: Leaf Description

Produces two semi-erect, slightly recurving leaves.

Chionodoxa luciliae: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Chionodoxa luciliae: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Chionodoxa luciliae: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Chionodoxa luciliae: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Chionodoxa luciliae Whole Plant Traits

Chionodoxa luciliae: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Chionodoxa luciliae: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Chionodoxa luciliae: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Chionodoxa luciliae: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Chionodoxa luciliae: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Chionodoxa luciliae: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Chionodoxa luciliae Cultural Conditions

Chionodoxa luciliae: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Chionodoxa luciliae: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Chionodoxa luciliae: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Chionodoxa luciliae: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Chionodoxa luciliae: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
3a
thermostat
3b
thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b

Chionodoxa luciliae: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Chionodoxa luciliae Stem

Chionodoxa luciliae: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Chionodoxa luciliae Landscape

Chionodoxa luciliae: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Chionodoxa luciliae: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Chionodoxa luciliae: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Chionodoxa luciliae: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland