Siberian Squills From Seed

– Posted in: Seeds and Seed Starting, What's up/blooming
12 comments

Siberian squills with visible seedlings

Can you see the seedlings? They have brown seed coats on their tips. Click on image to enlarge.

So often we’re told that a certain bulb multiplies by seed, but how often do you see it in action? In the photo above, the Siberian squill seedlings look almost like grass, but many of them still have the brown seed coat on their tips. Also, they are not flat like grass blades, but round in cross-section. So if you’re weeding around small bulbs, look carefully before you pull any “grass.”

About the Author

Kathy Purdy is a colchicum evangelist, converting unsuspecting gardeners into colchicophiles. She gardens in rural upstate NY, which used to be USDA Hardiness Zone 4 but is now Zone 5. Kathy’s been writing since 4th grade, gardening since high school, and blogging since 2002. Find her on Instagram as kopurdy.

In the end, this may be the most important thing about frost: Frost slows us down. In spring, it tempers our eagerness. In fall, it brings closure and rest. In our gotta-go world–where every nanosecond seems to count–slowness can be a great gift. So rather than see Jack Frost as an adversary, you could choose to greet him as a friend.

~Philip Harnden in A Gardener’s Guide to Frost: Outwit the Weather and Extend the Spring and Fall Seasons

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Deneise April 23, 2010, 9:16 pm

I find the squill a very invasive plant. I have to dig up the entire bed where they grow and throw out half the bulbs at least every third year. The only plant that is worse are lamb’s ears.

Kathy Purdy April 23, 2010, 9:23 pm

Where do you live and what kind of soil do you have (dry and alkaline, for example or ?). I find the garden environment can make a big difference in the invasiveness of a plant.

Bill, Minnesota April 17, 2010, 7:40 pm

I have been growing these since I moved to Minnesota five years ago. Since they are growing in a border where my wife tends to pull them up, I started growing seedlings in pots as an experiment to see how old they would need to be to flower. So far, the June 2008 seedlings don’t look very close yet.

Dee @ Red Dirt Ramblings March 29, 2010, 5:52 pm

Those seedlings look so cute with their little brown jackets.~~Dee
.-= Dee @ Red Dirt Ramblings´s last blog ..Dear Friends and Gardeners, March 29, 2010 =-.

Layanee March 29, 2010, 1:09 pm

I have never noticed the seeds still on the foliage but I have noticed a trail of squill from the bed where they were originally planted to the woods where I rake the leaves and debris out of the bed. It is nice to think the rake is spreading such blue beauty.
.-= Layanee´s last blog ..Bulbs au natural =-.

Melanie Watts March 29, 2010, 10:32 am

As well as Scilla, growing from seed, I have Tulipa tarda growing from seed in my garden.

Chiot's Run March 29, 2010, 10:12 am

My scillas do this as well, although they don’t seem to multiply too much. Perhaps those darn rodents eat them.
.-= Chiot’s Run´s last blog ..The First Tomato Seedling of 2010 =-.

Cindy, MCOK March 29, 2010, 9:55 am

Those are so cute! I have Freesia laxa here that spreads by both seed and bulb. They naturalize so well they’re almost weedy. Hey, that gives me an idea: I should plant them in the lawn! Thanks, Kathy, for the seed of the idea!
.-= Cindy, MCOK´s last blog ..Southern Charm =-.

Gardener on Sherlock Street March 29, 2010, 9:07 am

Awesome photo! I have these just starting to bloom. I will have to look closely for any sprouts. I planted them because I was told they would self seed but so far they haven’t spread very far. I was hoping to have them under some trees more. Thanks for the photo of what to look for.

Cyndy March 29, 2010, 6:34 am

Wow – it really pays to look carefully! Very pretty photo.
.-= Cyndy´s last blog ..Myrmecochory =-.

Helen Yoest @ Gardening With Confidence March 29, 2010, 6:26 am

That is interesting Kathy. Very pretty little flower. H.

Hoosier Gardener March 29, 2010, 6:10 am

I love quill…so colorful and once they get going, plentiful. One of my favorite minor bulbs.
.-= Hoosier Gardener´s last blog ..Take steps to prevent another attack of late blight =-.