(Squill)

The squills include about 60 species of bulbous perennials native to a wide range of habitats in Europe and Asia. Scilla formerly included several recently renamed South African species.

These hardy to somewhat tender plants produce underground, fleshy-scaled bulbs with papery tunics. In late winter, spring, summer, or fall, depending on the species, bulbs give rise to clumps of strap-shaped, typically short-lived leaves. Conical to dome-shaped clusters of starry, tubular, or bell-shaped...

(Alpine Squill)

Small clusters of pale starry flowers are produced by this small ephemeral bulb at the cusp of spring. Over time, alpine squill will naturalize in beds and grassy lawns, and though it lacks the electric color of its fellow blue-flowered relative, Siberian squill, it is still highly garden worthy. Wild populations inhabit the mountains of southern Europe and Turkey, but this species has also naturalized in other parts of Europe.

Each bulb only produces two broad, blade-like leaves that pop up...

(Pink Alpine Squill, Rosy Squill)

Beautiful in naturalized clumps, rosy squill mocks winter with starry palest pink flowers in late winter and very early spring. An herbaceous perennial that grows from a bulb (rounded storage root), it is native to the mountains of southern Europe and Turkey along the Mediterranean.

Each bulb produces only two wide, linear leaves that pop out in very late winter or earliest spring. Accompanying the leaves is a slender flower stem that has between three and ten star-shaped flowers. Each palest...

(Early Squill, Misczenko Squill, White Squill)

Cheerfully blooming in late winter and early spring with striped pale blue and blue blossoms, Misczenko squill forms beautiful drifts of plants in rockeries and meadows. An herbaceous perennial that grows from bulbs, this beauty is native to the rocky slopes and meadows of western Asia: from the Caucusus southward to Iran's Elburz Mountains.

Three to five broadly lineat leaves emerge from the bulb in very early spring. At the same time, a very short flower stem rises from these basal leaves....

(Peruvian Jacinth, Portuguese Squill)

This tender bulb is well-suited to warmer region gardens where many hardy bulbs, that require cold for blooming, will not thrive. Peruvian hyacinth is not native to Peru but from southern Europe and northern Africa where it inhabits open sunny areas. It can tolerate poorer soil types, though it also thrives in fertile loam. It is unusual in that it only remains dormant in summer.

Its splayed clumps of lance-shaped green leaves appear in fall and remain attractive all winter. In late spring...

(Peruvian Jacinth, Portuguese Squill)

The showy flowers of the naturally occurring white form of Peruvian jacinth blend well with many other perennials in the early summer border. This tender bulb is well-suited to southern gardens where many hardy bulbs, that require cold for blooming, will not thrive. Despite its name, it is actually native to southern Europe and northern Africa where it inhabits open sunny areas and can tolerate poorer soil types.

Its splayed clumps of lance-shaped green leaves appear in fall and remain attractive...

(Peruvian Jacinth, Portuguese Squill)

Cultivars in the Carribean Jewels™ Series are heavy blooming, come in shades of blue white and pink and are hardier than standard Scilla peruviana. They are also well-suited to forcing.

Peruvian jacinth is typically a tender bulb is well-suited to southern gardens where many hardy bulbs, that require cold for blooming, will not thrive. Despite its name, this Scilla is actually native to southern Europe and northern Africa where it inhabits open sunny areas and can tolerate...

(Peruvian Jacinth, Portuguese Squill)

The pretty violet-blue flowered 'Sapphire Blue' is heavy blooming and hardier than standard Scilla peruviana. It is also well-suited to forcing.

Peruvian jacinth is typically a tender bulb is well-suited to southern gardens where many hardy bulbs, that require cold for blooming, will not thrive. Despite its name, this Scilla is actually native to southern Europe and northern Africa where it inhabits open sunny areas and can tolerate poorer soil types, though it also thrives...

(Siberian Squill, Siberian Wood Squill)

Siberian squill is a charming, diminutive bulbous perennial that’s among the earliest of spring-blooming plants. The sweet blue-flowered ephemeral originates from Russia and western Asia and naturalizes readily in wooded areas because it blooms and disappears into dormancy before most deciduous trees and shrubs leaf out to block the sun.

This small bulb appears very early in the spring, just after the snowdrops and winter aconite. Each sends up two to four semi-erect leaves and thin flower...

(Siberian Squill, White Siberian Squill)

Delicate nodding white flowers adorn this tiny early-blooming ephemeral bulb.

Siberian wood squill is a diminutive bulb that originates from Russia and western Asia. Very early in the season, each plant produces fine strap-like foliage and small stems topped with four to six drooping five-petaled, bell-shaped flowers. Once the flowers are spent, these plants will set seed and quickly retreat into the ground for the rest of the growing season. Their dying foliage can easily be raked away for...