Scilla is a large genus in the Hyacinthaceae family with most species found in Europe, North Africa and western to central Africa. There are also species from tropical Africa, India, and South Africa. Some are winter growing and some are summer growing. Some prefer part shade that doesn't dry out in summer and others prefer sun with summer dry. Scilla was the topic of the week in December 2003. We were provided with an excellent Introduction by Jerry Flintoff. It is proposed by a number of taxonomists to break this genus into many smaller genera, some with only a few species. For more information about the proposed changes consult Julian Slade's post.
xChionoscilla is a wiki page for hybrids between the genus Scilla and the genus Chionodoxa which in the proposed classification is included in the genus Scilla.
Scilla bifolia, widespread in central and southern Europe, the Caucasus and Asia Minor, is an old garden plant. It's an early bloomer, and shows color almost as soon as the sprouts break ground. Although eclipsed by some of its relatives in both size and intensity of color, it nevertheless makes an appreciated presence in the early garden. In many areas it self-sows unobtrusively, in other areas perhaps not so unobtrusively. In the break-up of the genus Scilla in the broad sense as presented in Julian Slade's discussion, Scilla bifolia remains a member of the genus Scilla. The form shown here, photographed by Jim McKenney in his Montgomery County, Maryland, USA garden, is a self-sown seedling from commercial stock acquired decades ago.
Scilla dimartinoi is a beautiful yet little known species endemic from Lampedusa, a small island between Sicily and North Africa and said to occur on Malta too. This proposed name change for this species is Oncostema dimartinoi in the genus Oncostema. It is very distinctive and can't be confused with the closely related Scilla peruviana and Scilla hughii. It bears similarities with some South African plants. The dull green leaves lay flat on the ground in a starfish fashion, like many Brunsvigia and have hairy margins like some Haemanthus. The long bracts have hairy margins as well. The inflorescence is a nearly stemless umbel of densely packed flowers, reminiscent of a giant Massonia. Flowers are nearly white with a very pale blue shade, giving the feeling of grayish flowers but pistils are darker. Those in photos are young plants seed raised, at their very first flowering and the inflorescence is about 10cm across, but the species grows as large as Scilla peruviana with bulbs half exposed. The last picture is a close-up of the flowers. Ants seem to be the pollinators, as they were visiting the flowers, which secrete droplets of nectar. Photos and text by Angelo Porcelli.
Scilla dracomontana see Merwilla dracomontana
Scilla greilhuberi puts out leaves in early autumn and bears 10 inch racemes of pendent blue bells. It bears quite a few leaves, perhaps too many. This species is sometimes confused with S. hohenackeri but the main difference is in the leaves which are longer besides appearing at another time. It is native to Iran. This species is proposed to belong to the new genus Fessia. It survives outside in the Pacific Northwest in shaded areas that are dry in summer. Photos by John Lonsdale.
Scilla hohenackeri waits until spring to sprout its neater leaves and is equal to S. greilhuberi in beauty. It has mid lilac-blue flowers. It is from northwest Iran and adjacent areas in the Talysh mountains where it is found in woods and shady rock crevices. This species is proposed to belong to the new genus Fessia. Photo by John Lonsdale.
Scilla hughii according to Angelo Porcelli, is similar to Scilla peruviana, but has some features that tell it apart with a rather wide 'safe' margin. The proposed name change for this species is Oncostema hughii in the genus Oncostema. The leaves are wider than those of S. peruviana, almost triangular in young plants and a bit shorter, as shown in the first photo by Angelo Porcelli. The leaf base is pigmented (purplish) as is the flower stalk and the bracts and flowers are actually a deeper blue with a shade of purple too. But the easiest difference is the length of the bracts; they are by far longer in this species than in S. peruviana. Photos taken by Susan Hayek at Telos Rare Bulbs nursery owned by Diana Chapman. Diana says, "Endemic to a small island off the coast of Italy, the very rare Scilla hughii is often confused with S. peruviana. S. hughii is characterized by the much longer bracts beneath each pedicel, the purple flush to the bracts and pedicels, and the brilliant two-tone coloring of the florets."
Scilla hyacinthoides is a Mediterranean species, originally from Middle East but naturalized here and there in South of Italy. It needs a poor stony soil to flower well, otherwise it will develop an abnormal number of offsets missing the flowering. It has been proposed to be moved into a new genus with it as the sole species, Nectaroscilla (Nectaroscilla hyacinthoides.) First photo by Angelo Porcelli second and third photo by Nhu Nguyen of a clone from Israel.
Scilla liliohyacinthus has a bulb that mimics somehow a lily bulb. Planted in the foreground of a sunny border with very rich soil in Oregon in Jane McGary 's garden it increased vigorously. It is proposed to be included in the new genus Tractema.
Scilla lingulata The photo taken below November 2003 by Lee Poulsen is of a plant grown by Harold Koopowitz from seeds colleced in Morocco with a very nice shade of blue.
Scilla lingulata subsp. ciliolata is a small but beautiful fall-blooming species. The plants in this 8-inch dia. pot are the increase of one bulb purchased about 5 years ago from Monocot Nursery. It is native to North Africa and is grown here in an unheated bulb frame where winter temperatures reach about 25 degrees F. The epithet "ciliolata" refers to the fine hairs on the leaf margins, visible in the photo. Photos by Jane McGary and John Lonsdale.
Scilla luciliae see Chionodoxa luciliae
Scilla madeirensis , native to Madeira, another in the new Scilla split that would be moved to Autonoe and become Autonoe madeirensis. It was on the Mystery bulbs page and it was described as growing in a 12"(30cms) diameter pot, with stems now (October 2004) about 18"(45cms) tall, increasing later to no more than 24"(60cms). The bulbs visible on the soil surface were about tennis bulb size and had a reddish colouration. It is I think grown frost free. Photos by Brian Whyer. Brian later confirmed the identification from the nursery where he saw it.
Scilla melaina One of the small scilla, endemic to the mountains of Turkey. Its seeds were sown in a 4" container, in a raised bed in the garden in Tumwater, Washington -USA- (USDA zone 7A), and reached first flowering in 4 years. It has been trouble free; the slugs don't even seem to bother it. I can find no reference to any name change, and think it is one of the species remaining in Scilla. Photos by Dave Brastow.
Scilla messeniaca would be moved to Schnarfia and named Schnarfia messeniaca in the proposed Scilla split. It is from southern Greece. It has broad leaves and naturalizes in gardens but the leaves suffer in very wet winter climates. Photos by John Lonsdale.
Scilla monophyllos is found in stony places in southwest Spain, Portugal and Morocco. It's claim to fame is that it has only one broad leaf per bulb. Brian Mathew describes it as interesting because of this feature, but unexciting otherwise. It has small blue flowers. The flowers on my plant are so pale, that calling them blue is a stretch. This species is proposed to be moved to Tractema.
Scilla natalensis see Merwilla plumbea
Scilla nervosa see Schizocarphus nervosus
Scilla peruviana is native to Portugal, Spain, and south of Italy, not Peru! It is winter growing and spring blooming with a short dormant period in summer and the reputation for skipping flowering seasons on occasion. The proposed name change for this species is Oncostema peruviana in the genus Oncostema. The first two photos by Bob Rutemoeller show several stages of bloom. The third photo was of a plant received as Lachenalia unifolia but identified as this species. Photo taken by Kristina Van Wert of a plant in the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens bulb collection.
The first picture below is a clump with 14 flower stalks, although some not visible, grown from Angelo Porcelli. The next two pictures by Rodger Whitlock were taken at an early stage of flowering.
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Here is a picture of a white flowering one taken by Mary Sue Ittner.
Scilla puschkinioides is native to Soviet Central Asia on mountain slopes. It is easy to grow, but not very showy with white or pale blue starry flowers. This species is proposed to belong to the new genus Fessia. Photo by John Lonsdale.
Scilla ramburei comes from North Africa and the southern Iberian Peninsula. This species is proposed to be included in the new genus Tractema. Flowering in early spring in the bulb frame here in northwestern Oregon, it is especially pretty with its full inflorescence and broad, glaucous leaves. It does not increase fast vegetatively but is easily grown from seed. The plants shown were grown from seed obtained from Monocot Nursery in England. Photo by Jane McGary.
Scilla rosenii bears reflexed tepals a la Cyclamen; it supposedly prefers a dampish peaty medium, but grows well enough in for Jerry Flintoff in Washington in a raised bed in well-drained soil. Speta proposed moving this species to Othocallis.
Scilla scilloides, grown as Scilla chinensis although this is apparently an invalid name is dormant in the summer and then produces linear leaves followed by small starry pink flowers in the fall. It is proposed to be included in the new genus Barnardia in the Scilla split. Photos by John Lonsdale.
Scilla sardensis see Chionodoxa sardensis
Scilla sibirica has blue flowers in early spring and is native to Russia and Eurasia, not Siberia. It is easily grown and self sows readily. The species is proposed to be moved to a new genus, Othocallis. Photos taken by Jay Yourch.
'Spring Beauty' is a cultivar of Scilla sibirica. Photo by John Lonsdale.
Scilla verna syn. Tractema verna is proposed to be relocated to the genus Tractema. It is native to the Atlantic coast of Europe and grows on sea cliffs and grassy places. The pictures below taken by Bob Rutemoeller were taken in May 2004 on sea cliffs in Cornwall, England. The first picture shows the habitat, the second many of various shades of blue and white growing in grass and finally a close-up.
