Bellevalia paradoxa

Bellevalia paradoxa is a bulb forming plant in the genus Bellevalia of the family Asparagaceae, formerly classified in the genus Muscari, under which name it is commonly sold as Muscari paradoxum.

Bellevalia paradoxa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Asparagaceae
Subfamily:	Scilloideae
Genus:	Bellevalia
Species:	B. paradoxa
Binomial name
Bellevalia paradoxa (Fisch. & C.A.Mey.) Boiss.
Synonyms[1][2][3]
Bellevalia acutifolia (Boiss.) L.N.Delaunay Bellevalia elwendica Hausskn. ex Bornm. Bellevalia pycnantha (K.Koch) Losinsk. Botryanthus paradoxus (Fisch. & C.A.Mey.) Kunth Hyacinthella paradoxa (Fisch. & C.A.Mey.) Chouard Hyacinthella pycnantha (K.Koch) Chouard Hyacinthus elwendius Bornm. Hyacinthus paradoxus Fisch. & C.A.Mey. Hyacinthus pycnanthus (K.Koch) Baker Muscari acutifolium Boiss. Muscari elwendium Hausskn. Muscari paradoxum (Fisch. & C.A.Mey.) K.Koch Muscari pycnanthum K.Koch Pseudomuscari acutifolium (Boiss.) Garbari Pseudomuscari paradoxum (Fisch. & C.A.Mey.) Garbari

Description

Bulbs are globose-ovoid, 1.5–2 cm long and 1–3 cm wide. Leaves 2–3, linear, narrowed at the base, with pointed tips, 12–15 cm long. The inflorescence is racemose, the petals 10–15 over a 1–2 cm brush, dark purple, with a perianth 0.5-0.6 cm long and 0.2-0.3 cm wide, anthers 0.6–1 mm, yellow. Bellevalia paradoxa blooms in late April, blooming for up to 25 days. In contrast to plant in the genus Muscari the flowers are campanulate, not rounded.

Distribution

Eastern and north-eastern Turkey^[4] and Georgia,^[5] in mountain pastures, fields, rocky areas, and wet meadows at altitudes of 500–3000 m above sea level.^[4]

Cultivation

It is widely cultivated as an ornamental garden plant of the grape hyacinth class. It is hardy to USDA Hardiness Zones 7–9.^[6] It is best grown in relatively dry soil, in a sunny location.