Scilla siberica (Siberian squill, "Shiberiatsurubo")

Japanese name: シベリアツルボ
Scientific name: Scilla siberica

[Overview]
A perennial 10–20 cm tall with an underground bulb.
The bulb is egg-shaped, 1.5–2 cm in diameter, with a dark purplish brown coat on the surface.
2–4 leaves grow from the base; they are broadly linear, 10–15 cm long and 0.5–1.5 cm wide, with entire margins.
1–6 flower stalks emerge from the center of the leaves and bear several flowers in a raceme.
The flowers are blue, 6-petaled, bell-shaped and open, 1.5 cm across.
There are 6 stamens.
The fruit is a capsule.
In summer the leaves wither and the plant goes dormant.

[Cultivation]
Propagate by dividing the bulbs.
It prefers sun and a soil that is well drained, moisture-retentive and well aerated.
It tolerates some shade.
From sprouting until the leaves wither, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries.
Apply base fertilizer, and after flowering apply slow-release chemical fertilizer placed on the soil as thank-you fertilizer.
It can be left planted for several years.
In that case, move potted plants to a cool shady place out of the rain once the leaves wither and dormancy begins.
To lift the bulbs, dig them up when the leaves begin to wither, bury them in sand, peat moss or similar so they do not dry out completely, and store them in the same kind of place until planting in autumn.
After flowering, cut the flower stalks off at the base.
There are no particular pests or diseases.

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