100 Species #23: Glory-of-the-snow

[urbpan]

Correct me if I'm wrong, I'm rubbish with cultivated plants, but I think this is Glory-of-the-snow (Chionodoxa sp.), a Mediterranean native that grows from a bulb. It popped up between the late winter blooming snow drops and the early spring blooming daffodils, in numerous locations around the yard. You garden-keeping folks probably know more about it than I do, so let's hear it (and let me know what it is in case I'm wrong).

Comments

[miz-geek.livejournal.com]

I think so. At any rate, I have some that I planted from bulbs about 5 years ago, but I can't remember what they were called. But that's them. Funny - we just saw some at the nature center at Goodwin Forest yesterday and I couldn't remember what they were called.

They spread (apparently they self-seed), but not as much as my grape hyacinths do (I don't think I'd call them aggressive, at least in my garden). They seem more consistent and and last longer than crocuses, so I look forward to seeing them this time of year.

[plantmom.livejournal.com]

Yup, that's right. Hey, I have a wild bird-type question for you. On our way home from church today, we saw a bird which I swear was a snowy egret. Amherst is largely reclaimed swampland, and it was standing in a creek near us. When I hit my bird book, it said the geography was wrong, but I still think that's what it was. The bill was black with a yellow band up near its eyes, and in my bird guide, it's the only one like that in that size range. Absolutely fabulous bird, and we were close enough that I could see the breeze lifting the long feathers on its chest.
Is it possible that's what we saw?