Siberian squill

not listed

NNA - Not applicable

SNA - Not applicable

not listed

Siberian squill is an exotic invasive plant. It is listed as an invasive species in New Jersey but in no other state. It has spread rapidly since 2013, when it was recorded in just 5 counties in eastern Minnesota. In 2023 it was found in 47 of Minnesota’s 87 counties.

Siberian squill is an erect, perennial forb that rises from a small bulb and fibrous roots. It can be 4″ to 8″ tall, but is usually no more than 6″ in height. The bulb is egg-shaped and ⅝″ to ¾″ long. The outer coating of the bulb is dark purplish-brown. It often forms colonies.

In the early spring a rosette of 2 to 4 leaves and 1 to 4 flowering stems (scapes) rises from the top of the bulb.

The leaves are broadly linear, 4″ to 6″ long, and ⅝″ to ¾″ wide. They are folded longitudinally in the lower half and usually rolled upward longitudinally in the upper half. They taper to a blunt point at the tip. The upper surface and lower surfaces are hairless. The margins are untoothed.

The scapes are erect, green or purplish-green, angled, unbranched, leafless, and hairless.

The inflorescence is a solitary flower or a cluster of 2 to 4 flowers at the tip of the scape. The flowers nod downwards at the end of a 5 ⁄16″ to ½″ long flower stalk. There is a single, minute, egg-shaped modified leaf (bract) at the base of the flower head. None of the bracts are replaced with bulblets.

The flowers are about 1″ in diameter when fully open. There are 3 petals and 3 petal-like sepals (6 tepals), 6 stamens, and 1 style. The tepals are narrowly oblong, ½″ to ⅝″ long, 3 ⁄16″ to ¼″ wide, and spreading. They have a deep blue central vein and fade to purple toward the margins. The stamens have white filaments and blue anthers. The style is purple and is not divided at the tip. The flowers are strongly fragrant.

In North America the plant propagates vegetatively, rarely if ever producing fruit.

4″ to 8″

Deep blue to purple

Moderate moisture. Deciduous woodlands, railroads, disturbed areas. Partial sun.

March to early May

The leaves of Siberian squill are toxic to mammals, including humans.

Native to eastern Europe and Asia. Introduced, cultivated, rarely escaped cultivation, and naturalized in North America.

Uncommon

Four subspecies of Siberian squill, including the nominate subspecies, ssp. siberica, occur in eastern Europe. Only the nominate subspecies occurs in North America. When the nominate infraspecies is the only one occurring in North America, North American taxonomies usually drop the infraspecies epithet. Consequently, Scilla siberica ssp. siberica becomes simply Scilla siberica in North America.

Plant

Flower

Leaves