My Corner Online

Flower Index Index by Family Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 Set 5 Set 6

Scilla Siberica | Blue Squill, Spring Beauty

and Puschkinia scilloides | Striped Squill

Asparagaceae (Asparagus Family) (Pronounced ah-spare-a-gay-see-eye)(formerly Hyacinthaceae Family) (subfamily Scilloidea)

Pronounced SILL-ah Seh-beer-i-ca (no hard c sound, only an s sound)

Pronounced Push-KEEN-ia Seh-LOYD-ees

First Bloom:

2024 February 25

I could not figure out why the genus (the first scientific name) was different for each of the Squill that I purchased (that is, why Scilla and Puschkinia are not the same first word). In searching, I even found a plant called Scilla scilloides! It is all very confusing. The common name both utilize "Squill," however.

I had the Striped Squill in 2020 but it did not come back the second year. It is white with a blue color. To me, it looked like a tiny Hyacinth. It was so adorable! It is named after the Russian Count Mussin-Puschkin who died in 1805.

Blue Squill is a bulb and named because of a Greek word "skilla" for Sea-squill. Squill reaches the height is 5 to 7 inches, but mine measure more like 4 inches, so it is a tiny thing. The Squill blooms early with the Daffodils, and after the Snowdrops (Galanthus). Also just like Daffodils, the squirrels do not like to eat them as they are poisonous. Also just like Daffodils, it spreads through both bulb and seed.

Squill can be planted in the grass where it spreads and I have seen a photo of a beautiful purple-blue lawn, but that would take a lot of seeds or bulbs to create such a sight.

Scilla siberica is the Siberian Squill that is considered invasive in some parts, but that has not been my experience. There is a map that shows it invasive mostly in Minnesota and Wisconsin. It is barely hanging on in my garden.

As with all bulbs, the leaves should be allowed to die back so that the nutrients are stored into the bulb before the foilage is removed.

Scilla is also known as Bluebells, but I do not see anything bell-shaped and it only resembles in color to me. The only other commonality is that it used to be in the same family of Hyacinthoides.

2020