Scilla siberica

Scilla siberica, the Siberian squill or wood squill, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae, native to southwestern Russia, the Caucasus, and Turkey. Despite its name, it is not native to Siberia.

Siberian squill
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Asparagaceae
Subfamily: Scilloideae
Genus: Scilla
Species:
S. siberica
Binomial name
Scilla siberica

Description
Flower

Growing to 10–20 cm (4–8 in) tall by 5 cm (2 in) wide, it is a bulbous perennial, with two to four strap-shaped leaves appearing in early spring, at the same time as the nodding, blue, bell-shaped flowers.[3]

The flowers have six tepals and six stamens, and are arranged singly or in racemes of two or three. Petals may be reflexed to the horizontal when sunlight is bright, but are more often cup-shaped. The flowers are usually blue, but those of Scilla siberica var. alba are white. The stamens of Scilla are separate, unlike those of the related genus Puschkinia, which are fused into a tube. The pollen is dark blue.

After flowering, the flower stems become limp as capsules (pods) mature. At maturity, the capsules become purple and split open, releasing small, dark brown seeds. When the seeds are mature, the leaves wither and the plant goes dormant until the next spring.

The seedlings are hollow-leaved.

Cultivation

S. siberica is cultivated for its bluebell-like flowers. It naturalizes rapidly from seed. At 15 cm (5.9 in), it is suitable for planting in grass, and will spread by seed to form large colonies that go dormant by the time grass needs to be mowed. In the Midwestern United States it is becoming invasive in some situations.[4]

This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[5][6]

  • Seed capsules
    Seed capsules
  • Bulbs
    Bulbs
  • Klepacza Park in Łodz, Poland
    Klepacza Park in Łodz, Poland
  • Pendulous flowers at various stages of development
    Pendulous flowers at various stages of development
  • In Calgary, Alberta in April
    In Calgary, Alberta in April
  • Pollen grains under a microscope with different illumination methods (EPI illumination, bright field, differential interference contrast, phase contrast, autofluorescence)
    Pollen grains under a microscope with different illumination methods (EPI illumination, bright field, differential interference contrast, phase contrast, autofluorescence)

See also

References
  1. "Scilla siberica Andrews". Plants of the World Online. The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. n.d. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  2. "Scilla siberica Andrews". Catalogue of Life. Species 2000. n.d. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  3. RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 978-1405332965.
  4. Chayka, Katy; Dziuk, Peter (2016). "Scilla siberica (Siberian Squill)". Minnesota Wildflowers.
  5. "RHS Plant Selector - Scilla siberica". Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  6. "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 96. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
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