Bellevalia

Family Hyacinthaceae. Name: in honor of P. Belleval, founder of the Botanical Garden in Montpellier, France.

Description: the genus includes about 50 species, of which 18 grow in the territory of the CIS. It naturally occurs on dry steppe sites, rocky mountain slopes in the subalpine and alpine belts from the Atlantic coast to Central Asia (Mediterranean, Crimea, Caucasus, Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan).

Perennial bulbous plant with lanceolate leaves in a basal rosette. Flowers in a racemose inflorescence, the perianth united, tubular-bell-shaped, with straight teeth, without constriction at the throat, yellowish-green, purple or blue, turning brown by the end of flowering. Stamens 6, arranged in a single series and attached to the throat of the perianth. The ovary is three-celled, with an elongated style and a blunt stigma. The fruit is a three-valved capsule. The seeds are smooth, with a bluish bloom. Flowers in May. Propagated by seeds.

Only species with a dark-blue perianth are ornamental. Most, however, have a pale yellow or greenish-brown perianth, turning brown when fading. Cultivation is the same as for Muscari. Open sites or light shade are required. Propagated by seeds. Used for rock gardens.