Blooming Today (April 10, 2016): Chionodoxa (Glory-of-the-Snow)

Like Scilla siberica, Chionodoxa blooms very early in the spring and thereby offers a whole new season of interest before other herbaceous plants break dormancy. It differs from Scilla in that it does not seed about nearly so prolifically and tends to form more compact clumps of bloom rather than carpeting the ground. While both bear blue flowers I find the Chionodoxa more showy as it holds its face upward (versus the downward facing Scilla) and its blue color is accented by a central white star. A favorite!