Habit
Karelj, Wikimedia · CC-BY-SA-4.0
Glory of the snow
Chionodoxa forbesii Baker
Also known as: Forbes' glory of the snow
Family: Asparagaceae
10 to 20 cm tall
Lawns, light woodland and rockeries; planted in large naturalised drifts in autumn
Flowering: February – April
Full sun
Part shade
Hardy to about -20°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Its botanical name means "glory of the snow": in its original mountain habitat it sometimes flowers while snow is still melting around it.
🍃 Leaves
Two narrow, fleshy basal leaves, upright then arching
🌸 Flowers
Star-shaped, pale blue with a white centre, in a loose raceme of 4 to 12 flowers per flower stem
🍎 Fruits
Small capsule with seeds bearing an elaiosome, dispersed by ants
🪵 Bark
Not applicable — herbaceous bulbous plant
🗺️ Distribution
Native to the mountains of western Turkey; widely spread in horticulture throughout Europe
🐝 Value for pollinators
One of the first sources of nectar and pollen for bees at the end of winter
✂️ Horticultural uses
Naturalising in lawns or under deciduous shrubs, self-seeds and multiplies easily
🌿 Other Asparagaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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