Plants
Squill
Scilla · Asparagaceae
Few spring flowers glow as intensely blue as the squill: nodding starry bells in a gentian blue that looks almost electric between brown leaves in March. Scilla is undemanding, fully hardy and one of the best naturalisers for lawns and woodland edges. We source our plants in nursery quality via the Veiling Rhein-Maas.
- Light
- Bright to partially shaded; as much light as possible at flowering time.
- Watering
- Evenly fresh in spring; summer drought is tolerated well.
- Care level
- Easy
- Botanical
- Scilla
The key garden species is the Siberian squill (Scilla siberica), usually in the cultivar „Spring Beauty“ with especially large, deep blue flowers. There are also the native alpine squill (Scilla bifolia) and white or pale pink selections such as „Alba“ and „Rosea“.
Squills are among the most reliable naturalisers of all: they multiply via offset bulbs and self-seeding, forming blue veils beneath shrubs and in lawns over the years. Famous park meadows where millions of squills flower each spring show what a few handfuls of bulbs can become.
The ideal spot mimics the natural habitat: beneath deciduous trees and shrubs, where it is bright at flowering time and the soil is fresh in spring and rather dry in summer. That is exactly why scilla succeeds where tree-root pressure crowds out everything else in summer.
Planting is simple: set bulbs six to eight centimetres deep in autumn in loose groups of at least ten — planted singly, this small bloomer looks lost. In lawns the usual bulb rule applies: only mow once the foliage has yellowed in May.
In floristry we mainly use squills as potted stock for spring bowls with primroses, daffodils and moss. Worth knowing: like many members of its family, scilla contains irritants and heart-active compounds, above all in the bulb — so it is no nibbling candidate for pet households.
Is Squill toxic to children and pets?
- Children
- Toxic
- Cats
- Toxic
- Dogs
- Toxic
Squills are toxic — the bulbs above all contain scillaren-type heart-active glycosides and irritant saponins. Keep out of reach of cats, dogs and children; this applies especially to dug-up or stored bulbs.
Typical symptoms: After ingestion: drooling, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain; larger amounts of bulb can cause heart rhythm disturbances — then seek medical or veterinary help immediately.
In an emergency:call the German poison control centre in Bonn on +49 228 19240 (24/7) — for pets, contact an emergency vet directly. This information does not replace medical or veterinary advice.
Overview: toxic & non-toxic plants for cats, dogs and children
Care
- 01Plant in bright to partial shade beneath deciduous shrubs and trees.
- 02Humus-rich, free-draining soil; fresh in spring, it may dry out in summer.
- 03Set bulbs six to eight centimetres deep in autumn in groups of ten or more.
- 04Let the foliage die back after flowering; do not mow lawns before May.
- 05Allow self-seeding if you want the stand to naturalise.
- 06No feeding needed; a little leaf compost in autumn is entirely sufficient.
Frequently asked
- When does squill flower?
- The main flowering time is March to April, right after snowdrops and winter aconites. A stand flowers for around three weeks; in cool springs the intense blue lasts noticeably longer than in warm ones.
- Is squill toxic to cats and dogs?
- Yes. All parts, especially the bulbs, contain heart-active glycosides and saponins. Small nibbles of leaf usually cause gastrointestinal upset, while bulbs can act more seriously. After ingestion, contact a vet to be safe.
- How do you get squills to naturalise?
- Plant bulbs in loose groups in autumn beneath deciduous shrubs or in the lawn, always let the foliage die back and leave the seed heads standing. Ants spread the seeds — after five to ten years a self-sustaining blue carpet develops.
- What is the difference between squill and grape hyacinth?
- Both flower blue in spring but are easy to tell apart: squill carries open, nodding starry flowers in loose racemes, while grape hyacinth has dense clusters of almost closed, rounded bells. Scilla also usually flowers two to three weeks earlier.