Plant of the Day: Striped squill - Puschkinia scilloides
Photo of Striped squill - Puschkinia scilloides

Photo by Mark Kane

Mighty Little Bulb


Small and tough, Striped Squill is among the earliest of hardy bulbs. Here in Zone 5, mine emerge and flower in mid-March, more than a month before daffodils. They seem to proclaim a message - maybe, “We survived the winter. So did you. Time to celebrate.”


Each bulb sends up two strap-like leaves, pointing away from each other like a green letter V. Between them a flower stalk rises, topped with a cluster of buds pointing upwards and striped in blue. Then the buds move apart, point outward, and open. Each flower has a short corolla in the center and six petals, each with a sky-blue line down the middle.


Striped Squill multiplies readily, in two ways. The bulbs make offsets (daughter bulbs) and the flowers make seeds. The bulbs are smaller than hazelnuts and sold in packs of ten or fifty. From the ten I planted eight years ago, the garden now has a broad clump of thirty and one younger clump nearby that must have started from a wandering seed.


To plant a small bulb like this, I use a trowel barely an inch wide, jab it in the ground, pull back on the handle to open a slot in the dirt, drop in the bulb, and press the slot closed. With close spacing bulb-to-bulb, pulling open a new slot closes the neighboring slot simultaneously. While this saves a little time, the real reward for me is feeling efficient. I must have an engineering gene.


By Mark Kane - the Groundskeeper, YourGardenShow.com

Copyright © 2012 YourGardenShow.com

Want to read more about this plant and other varieties? Click here for the Striped squill - Puschkinia scilloides Plant Page!

Plant Photo Tagging - How it Works

Video by Tom Finerty, founder YourGardenShow.com

Plant Photo Tagging allows you to turn any garden photo into a rich tapestry of what you have planted. It’s fun, informative, and helpful to others visiting your garden. As you photo tag, you can easily add plant names from our database and/or make notes about anything you’d like. To get started, sign-in and go to your Garden.


Click on any image in your garden's slideshow Carousel to get to full-view mode. Click on the “Tag” icon just below your photo and you are ready to tag! Simply click and drag your mouse over a plant or area you’d like to highlight or tag. A pop-up box will appear and ask for either a plant name or a note - add one or both, then click “tag” and you’ve just tagged your garden!


Write and tell us your suggestion for a "How it Works" video:
how-it-works@yourgardenshow.com


For more info contact: help@yourgardenshow.com

Photo of Siberian squill - Scilla siberica

Siberian squill

Scilla siberica

select

Photo of Snowdrop - Galanthus nivalis

Snowdrop

Galanthus nivalis

select

Photo of Douglas fir - Pseudotsuga menziesii

Douglas fir

Pseudotsuga menziesii

select

Photo of Norway spruce - Picea abies

Norway spruce

Picea abies

select

Photo of Common Lilac - Syringa vulgaris 'Marie Frances'

Common Lilac

Syringa vulgaris 'Marie Frances'

select

Photo of Common Lilac - Syringa vulgaris 'Wedgwood Blue'

Common Lilac

Syringa vulgaris 'Wedgwood Blue'

select

Manchurian lilac - Syringa pubescens subsp. patula 'Miss Kim'

Manchurian lilac - 'Miss Kim'

Syringa pubescens subsp. patula

select

Photo of Red mulberry - Morus rubra

Red mulberry

Morus rubra

select

Photo of White spruce - Picea glauca

White spruce

Picea glauca

select

Photo of Striped squill - Puschkinia scilloides

Striped squill

Puschkinia scilloides

select

Photo of Scotch pine - Pinus sylvestris

Scotch pine

Pinus sylvestris

select

Photo of Frazier fir - Abies fraseri

Frazier fir

Abies fraseri

select

Photo of Colorado Spruce - Picea pungens

Colorado Spruce

Picea pungens

select

Photo of Hardy Pecan - Carya illinoinensis

Hardy Pecan

Carya illinoinensis

select

Photo of Asparagus - Asparagus officianalis

Asparagus

Asparagus officianalis

select

Photo of Beets - Beta vulgaris

Beets

Beta vulgaris

select

Photo of Brussels Sprouts - Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera

Brussels Sprouts

Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera

select

Artichoke - Globe 'Imperial Star' - Cynara scolymus

Artichoke - Globe 'Imperial Star'

Cynara scolymus

select

Photo of American Hazelnut - Corylus americana

American Hazelnut

Corylus americana

select

Photo of Black Alder - Alnus glutinosa

Black Alder

Alnus glutinosa

select

Photo of Seven-son flower - Heptacodium miconioides

Seven-son flower

Heptacodium miconioides

select

Photo of European larch - Larix decidua

European larch

Larix decidua

select

Photo of Maidenhair tree - Ginkgo biloba

Maidenhair tree

Ginkgo biloba

select

Photo of Butterfly weed - Asclepias tuberosa

Butterfly weed

Asclepias tuberosa

select

Photo of Creeping Zinnia - Zinnia angustifolia

Creeping Zinnia

Zinnia angustifolia

select

Photo of Garlic 'Spanish Roja' - Allium sativum

Garlic 'Spanish Roja'

Allium sativum

select

Photo of Garlic 'Georgia Fire' - Allium sativum

Garlic 'Georgia Fire'

Allium sativum

select

Photo of Garlic 'Persian Star' - Allium sativum

Garlic 'Persian Star'

Allium sativum

select

Photo of Garlic 'Asian Tempest' - Allium sativum

Garlic 'Asian Tempest'

Allium sativum

select

Photo of Aster - Aster frikartii 'Monch'

Aster

Aster frikartii 'Monch'

select

Photo of Aster - Aster novae-angliae 'Purple Dome'

Aster

Aster novae-angliae 'Purple Dome'

select

Photo of Chrysanthemum - Chrysanthemum morifolium

Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum morifolium

select

Beans 'Black Seeded Blue Lake' - Phaseolus vulgaris

Beans 'Black Seeded Blue Lake'

Phaseolus vulgaris

select

Photo of Corn 'Ashworth' - Zea mays

Corn 'Ashworth'

Zea mays

select

Photo of Pumpkins 'Young's Beauty' - Cucurbita Pepo

Pumpkins 'Young's Beauty'

Cucurbita Pepo

select

Photo of Gourds 'Birdhouse' - Lagenaria siceraria, Cucurbita spp.

Gourds 'Birdhouse'

Lagenaria siceraria, Cucurbita spp.

select

Photo of Sargent crabapple - Malus sargentii

Sargent crabapple

Malus sargentii

select

Photo of Gooseberry - Ribes 'Poorman'

Gooseberry

Ribes 'Poorman'

select

Photo of Dwarf pear - Pyrus communis 'Moonglow'

Dwarf pear

Pyrus communis 'Moonglow'

select

Photo of American chestnut - Castanea dentata

American chestnut

Castanea dentata

select

Photo of Parsnips - Pastinaca sativa

Parsnips

Pastinaca sativa

select

Photo of Black walnut - Juglans nigra

Black walnut

Juglans nigra

select

Photo of Potato - Solanum tuberosum

Potato

Solanum tuberosum

select

Photo of Smooth sumac - Rhus glabra

Smooth sumac

Rhus glabra

select

Photo of Juniper - Red cedar - Juniperus virginiana 'Hillspire'

Juniper - Red cedar

Juniperus virginiana 'Hillspire'

select

Photo of Clematis - Clematis 'Nelly Moser'

Clematis

Clematis 'Nelly Moser'

select

Photo of Clematis - Clematis durandii

Clematis

Clematis durandii

select

Photo of American elderberry - Sambucus canadensis 'Laciniata'

American elderberry

Sambucus canadensis 'Laciniata'

select

Photo of Russian arbor-vitae - Microbiota decussata

Russian arbor-vitae

Microbiota decussata

select

Photo of Resurrection lily - Lycoris squamigera

Resurrection lily

Lycoris squamigera

select

Photo of Sweet potato - Ipomoea batatas

Sweet potato

Ipomoea batatas

select

Photo of Stonecrop - Sedum erythrostictum 'Frosty Morn'

Stonecrop - Sedum

Sedum erythrostictum 'Frosty Morn'

select

Photo of Blackberry - Rubus 'Navaho'

Blackberry

Rubus 'Navaho'

select

Photo of Cucumber - Cucumis sativus

Cucumber

Cucumis sativus

select

Photo of Mache - Valerianella locusta

Mache

Valerianella locusta

select

Photo of Japanese falsecypress - Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea'

Japanese falsecypress

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea'

select

Photo of Sweet autumn clematis - Clematis terniflora

Sweet autumn clematis

Clematis terniflora

select

Photo of Japanese anemone - Anemone hupehensis

Japanese anemone

Anemone hupehensis

select

Photo of Carrots - Daucus carota

Carrots

Daucus carota

select

Photo of Peppers 'Aci Sivri' - Capiscum annuum

Peppers 'Aci Sivri'

Capiscum annuum

select

Photo of Cilantro - Coriandrum sativum

Cilantro

Coriandrum sativum

select

Photo of Okra - Abelmoschus esculentus

Okra

Abelmoschus esculentus

select

Photo of Peppers 'Cal Wonder Orange' - Capiscum annuum

Peppers 'Cal Wonder Orange'

Capiscum annuum

select

Photo of Tomatoes 'Cherry Pink' - Lycopersicon esculentum

Tomatoes 'Cherry Pink'

Lycopersicon esculentum

select

Plant of the Day archive

Siberian squill

Snowdrop

Douglas fir

Norway spruce

Common Lilac 'Marie Frances'

Common Lilac 'Wedgwood Blue'

Manchurian lilac 'Miss Kim'

Red mulberry

White spruce

Striped squill

Scotch pine

Frazier fir

Colorado Spruce

Hardy Pecan

Asparagus

Beet

Brussels Sprouts

Globe Artichoke 'Imperial Star'

American Hazelnut

Black Alder

Seven-son flower

European larch

Maidenhair tree

Butterfly weed

Creeping Zinnia

Garlic 'Spanish Roja'

Garlic 'Georgia Fire'

Garlic 'Persian Star'

Garlic 'Asian Tempest'

Aster 'Monch'

Aster 'Purple Dome'

Chrysanthemum

Beans

Corn

Pumpkin

Gourd

Sargent crabapple, Sargent

Gooseberry

Dwarf pear

American chestnut

Parsnip

Black walnut

Potato

Smooth Sumac

Juniper

Clematis - Nelly Moser

Clematis durandii

American elderberry

Russian arbor-vitae

Resurrection lily

Sweet Potato

Sedum

Blackberry

Cucumber

Mache

Japanese falsecypress

Sweet Autumn Clematis

Japanese Anemone

Carrots

Hot Peppers

Cilantro

Okra

Peppers 'Cal Wonder Orange'

'Cherry Pink' Tomatoes