Last week during the Larry Meiller Garden Talk (Wisconsin Public Radio) program, a woman called in to ask what she could do to get rid of Scilla aka Siberian Squill (Scilla siberica). This invasive non-native plant was taking over her lawn and was now moving into her woods. My ears perked up immediately since I, too, have a problem with this nasty non-native.
I don’t know where it came from — probably the birds — but it’s been a “growing” problem for me for several years. It started with one tiny plant in one of my native plant woodlands and has since moved out to the lawn and a second woodland and into the prairie. I’ve tried digging out the bulbs, but they go so deep into the ground, they’re impossible to remove.
Control
Based on what the guest recommended, I pulled off all the flowers and buds for sure. He also suggested removing as much of the green growth as possible to reduce the amount of nutrition returning to the bulb, thereby reducing its ability to flower again next year. In the early spring when the ground is still fairly wet, pulling out the greens allows you to remove some of the underground stems, reducing more of the bulbs available nutrition.
It is obvious it spreads by seed, so removing the flowers and buds was a really sound recommendation. As I was pulling the leaves and flowers, I found many little spires of new plants nestled close by the mature plant. As I moved from plant to plant, I found many of the flowers were already producing seed pods, so timing was perfect.
In areas where I was sure not to affect my native plants, I also hit the Scilla with a herbicide. I didn’t want to take any chance of it spreading further, especially in my woodlands. Note: I prefer using a foam-type spray nozzle for such low-growing plants because I can control where the herbicide goes better. And, be sure to be over-cautious in using it appropriately.
While I was working with the Scilla, I noticed some Garlic Mustard in the prairie as well, so I took care of that right away. Garlic Mustard is easy to pull this time of the year, but be sure to get all of the S-shaped section of the tap root. If you don’t, the plant will resprout.
Don’t forget to check back in a couple of days to remove any flowers you may have missed on the Scilla (and the Garlic Mustard). Good luck in getting control of this miserable plant!
Donna,
Thanks for the heads up on the Scilla siberica. I, too, heard that on Larry Meiller’s show last week. With your recommendations I guess I have some work to do in my front flower bed, too. It’s a pretty blue, but if it’s going to take over the rest of the bed the pretty part fades for me.
Glad I was able to help, Lucy. In my original woodland where the scilla was introduced, the native shade plants have become scarce. I assume eventually they will disappear all together if I can’t get control of the scilla. Larry’s guest suggested mowing the scilla to reduce it by starving the bulb, but we’ve been mowing it in our lawn for a number of years already and it keeps coming back. Although, it’s entirely possible new seed is producing new plants. Yep, I thought it was pretty at first, too!
Just FYI – the photo accompanying the article of a “Variegated Squill” is actually Chionodoxa (Glory-of-the-Snow).
Hi! Zannah. It’s good to hear from you. Thank you for the correction. Indeed it is. According to Wikipedia, it “is a small genus of bulbous perennial flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae, often included in Scilla. And Wikipedia confirmed that it is not native to North America.
Hi Donna,
We are working on controlling scilla in our yard by pulling the greens and seed heads. Are you able to compost this material? Our home compost does not get really hot, so we were planning to take it to the Appleton yard waste/compost site. Should we do this or put the materials in the garbage? I don’t want to put it in a compost site and have it show up all over town because the seeds and or bulbs were not killed in the composting process.
Thanks for advice on how to get rid of the scilla material I pull from our yard.
Penny
I put mine into plastic grocery bags and leave them bake in the sun for awhile before I toss it in the garbage can. I have not been able to find info on how long the seed stays viable, but like most invasives, I suspect it probably is relatively long. The bulb, once it is cooked by the sun, should be no longer viable, but I’d toss it into the garbage along with the seeds as well.
Thanks Donna, in the garbage they will al go!
Penny
I’ve spent 3 years pulling this from the lawn—doesn’t seem to have lessened it. I am on a mission to rid my space of invasives. Have this far been successful eradicating garlic mustard, buckthorn, valerian, goutweed, loads of vinca vine and Boston ivy, and Dame’s rocket. Any idea how long it may take me to better control the Scilla/Siberian squill? I want to avoid using herbicides. Any experience or input welcome!
Friends have been telling me they’re cutting the blossoms/seed heads before they mature and the leaves before they go dormant in an effort to reduce the seed base and starve the bulb. Digging out the bulb works for new plants, but the bulbs of the older plants are typically pretty deep into the ground — so digging is often fruitless. Although I’ve tried Round-Up, it didn’t seem to be very effective.
Hi, I have just bought 100 Siberian squilla bulbs instead of bluebells I was going to plant them in the lawn, how long do they flower and when. Do they look nice as they spread or, should I not plant them?
Keith — here in the Midwestern United States, scilla is a highly invasive species as I mentioned in my post; a “gift” from Russia. Unfortunately I cannot speak to its invasiveness in the United Kingdom. It is cold hardy, however. Each blossom lasts for only a few days and then you’re left with the green blades which look like grass. But after a while, they too will die back and then you’re left with whatever will grow in the bare ground. I have found some late season shade plants do grow in the same area, so that is a plus. But the early spring ephemerals have all disappeared being displaced by the scilla, which means this space is not providing seasonal nourishment for native wildlife.
So far the scilla is only here and there in our lawn, so it’s not affecting the grass cover. Hopefully I’ll be able to keep it under control so I’ll never know.
Although I don’t know if these plants would be native to your location, if you’re looking for spring blooming plants with blue flowers you might consider Sharp Lobed Hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba), Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica or M. paniculata), Wild Blue Phlox (Phlox divaricata) or any number of native violets. Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia) could provide bell-shaped blue flowers for the rest of the season. These plants are all native to the Midwestern USA.
So, in answer to your question, I would not plant the scilla bulbs you purchased. During your second season, you will already have at least 500 plants popping up. (They are terrific self-seeders.) Plant something native to your local area in the United Kingdom instead.
In the UK I would recommend Anemone Blanda or Grape Hyacinth for a good spring show of blue flowers.
I’m in the UK and I’m here precisely for advice as to get rid of these darned things. I’ve done all the things here and completely emptied the affected flower bed (I didn’t plant these, they came with the house), completely dug it over and removed every trace of bulb I could find, sifting the soil as I went. I did this to quite a depth, too. A couple of seasons later, they are back as numerous and rampant as ever. Total nuisance, choking everything else out. From my experience, I would say avoid them like the plague!
See JB’s comment, Leeny. I hear you! — Donna
Stick with English bluebells, not Spanish. Other good UK options are Eranthis, Tulipa sylvestris, Checkered lily (fritillaria), Poeticus recurvus daffodil, yellow wild-type English daffodil, Hepatica, Anemone nemorosa, Anemone blanda, Tommy-type crocus, and various others. I would avoid the Scilla and definitely not plant Spanish bluebells because they ruin the English type by hybridization.
Aaron — Thanks for responding to Keith regarding UK plants. It is most appreciated.
You’re welcome. Some other nice non-invasive UK choices are cowslips (a perennial), Adonis amurensis (spring ephemeral), Anemone coronaria (if you live in a warm-enough zone; stick with “single”-flowered forms), Actaea daffodil, Uva Vulpis fritillaria (and several similar hanging-flowers small-stature fritillaria species), and Welsh poppy (a perennial)
Again, thank you very much for sharing this info, Aaron.
Thank you for this informative post. I live in Wyoming in urban setting. Getting Anything to survive here is a Challenge. Our zone 4 combined with High winds and low snow/ rain
Means we search for plants that thrive. I have changed through time to re think…terms like “weeds” ever since I found out how tasty dandelions are in my home grown salads and how No lettuce I can grow matches their nutrients! The roots are also amazing…that’s not counting dandelion wine. The flowers rival the purest yellows and come earlier than any in my garden. So I am delighted to find Scilla and glories! Carpets of blue to add effortlessly? Plus if we do not plant for bees we will lose them….these flowers support bees early in the spring when in Wyoming nothing is blooming. Can these beauties survive Wyoming? I am ordering bulbs! I plan a dense area that can happily spread to its hearts content along the 8,000 tulip bulbs I just planted…a sea of blue for the rich colors to rise out of!! And I Won’t have to plant them again next year!! The effect will be Breath Taking!
Howdy, Mary — I’m afraid I know very little about Wyoming or what grows there, but I found beautiful native flowers growing everywhere we went when visiting Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons National Parks several years ago in June. It is certainly up to you to grow what you wish, but the beauty of the sea of blue will be short-lived. Have you considered what will you have for the bees and the view once the Scilla has stopped blooming?
I hope you can find a better alternative. Although it maybe beautiful in your own setting, there is nothing to prevent wind, birds, and other critters from spreading seeds to more sensitive areas and destroying any native wild areas they may land on.
Thanks for making that very important point, Mary.
Honeybees aren’t native to North America. Unless you’re a beekeeper it’s better (for nature) to have plants that best serve native bee species. I don’t know what species/types of bees Siberian Scilla are designed for but I do know that some North American flowers have their own special bee species, like Spring Beauty. I think Trout Lillies may also have a unique bee but I don’t recall.
The invasive plants that are a problem are most often those that reduce habitat available for natives. Lawn invasives, unless they grow strongly in shade like Creeping Charlie, can actually be beneficial. Dandelions, for example, help to provide an important nectar source for spring bees since so much of their habitat has been destroyed by large lawns. It’s better to leave the dandelions and remove the Creeping Charlie from woodland and woodland edges.
Aaron — I did a quick search and I found the following on Mining Bees (Andrena sp) from The Natural Web:
“There are about 400 species of Andrena bees in North America alone, hundreds more worldwide. They are abundant in spring, with many species foraging for food on a single plant species, or a few closely related species of plants. One species, Andrena erigeniae, relies almost exclusively on the pollen of Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica, C. caroliniana) as food for their offspring. Another species, Andrena erythronii, specializes on Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum) as a food source to provision its brood cells for its larvae. Many Mining Bee species look very similar to each other, so sometimes the easiest way to tell them apart is by the plant on which they are foraging.”
Scilla has been a favored ground cover in New England since the 18th century. It does well in tended, well-defined areas is unlikely to jump a granite or brick-edged terrace. It’s been naturalized in a wooded area of my property for generations without spreading far at all; I see absolutely no reason to endorse the use of bee-killing, carcinogenic Round-Up for any purpose, and especially not this. “Accent on Natural Landscaping” would appear to be a bit of a misnomer.
Oh, but that’s where you’re wrong, John. This post was written some time ago before the bad effects of glyphosate were so well documented. Having said that, I likely would not change my post much except to express strong caution in using a herbicide appropriately. The concern here should be in displacing native plant species with non-native scilla plants. I’d much prefer to provide habitat for our native wildlife.
All naturalized non-native plants in woodlands and woodland edges are displacing native plants from important habitat. It’s generally less of an issue with lawn non-natives since plain lawn grass is the worst for nature, as it produces no nectar, produces no pollen, and offers minimal host plant opportunities for larvae of native species like lepidoptera.
The only beneficial non-natives offer high wildlife value in a variety of ways, such as being nearly identical to native species in terms of what they offer. An invasive example I can think of is Bull thistle. It has very high wildlife value, basically equal to a native equivalent like the Discolor species. Various garden flowers like non-seeding butterfly bush, Mexican torch sunflower, certain marigolds, and single-petal row zinnias can offer tremendous benefit — while some others, like big red geraniums, don’t. Some native plants are also not particularly outstanding for wildlife value, such as yellowroot and especially horsetail. However, non-natives, like nandina and garlic mustard, generally have the potential to be much worse than relatively useless. Such species poison parts of the food chain.
Some non-native shady plants seem to be much better choices than something like Siberian Squill. Certain hellebores, for instance, can be very much in demand by spring bees and they’re never invasive. In terms of wildlife value I bet they beat yellowroot.
Thanks for writing, Aaron. I had to look up yellowroot. Here in Wisconsin we know Yellowroot by the common name Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis). Yellowroot grows primarily in Eastern North America.
Hi Donna. The yellow root I was referring to is Xanthorhiza simplicissima. It’s not a bad plant but I doubt that it offers as much wildlife value as some others that are native to the same area and which grow in similar habitat. I don’t know if any wildlife that makes use of horsetail.
Thanks for qualifying your earlier Comment, Aaron. Luckily, Xanthorhiza simplicissima doesn’t grow in most of the Midwest.
It’s interesting to read this thread as here in Britain scilla and indeed chionodoxa are prized spring flowering bulbs. Interesting that it is invasive in the US as here in Cambridgeshire UK there is no problem with it spreading in my garden indeed I would like more of it there! The problem I have is with ground elder (I believe it is called goat’s rue in the States) which I believe is cultivated in the US but which is well known as an invasive pest here, requiring years to remove from gardens because it will regenerate from the tiniest piece of root. Having given up in one patch I left it to flower and it is lovely with a strong scent so I am trying now just to keep it corralled. in that area – a difficult task. I’d be interested to know what the native spring flowering shade lovers are in the States.
I know I haven’t covered all the spring ephemerals in my blog, but here are a few of them FYI. Ephemerals Although you’ll get a number of posts which aren’t pertinent, you could also search under shade plants.
Non-native Goats Rue (Galega officinalis) is a huge problem here in the USA and is considered an invasive species. Goat’s Rue (Tephrosia virginiana) is a native plant that flowers from May to August and prefers rocky open woods, glades and prairies. The non-native species reminds me of another legume plant we call Crown Vetch (Coronilla varia nka Securigera varia), also from Europe and Asia which is terribly invasive throughout the USA — a problem we created for ourselves believing it would stabilize highway right-of-ways.
I seems we have non-native species on both sides of the Atlantic.
Crown Vetch is indeed problematic but fortunately it does have significant wildlife value as it is a larval food plant for a number of native butterflies. I think I read that, like Ribwort Plantain, it is actually serving as an important substitute food source for a rarer species since human development has eliminated most of its normal food plants.
This info gives me an idea for a future post. Thanks, Aaron.
I have been tolerant of blue scilla under my oak and walnut trees. Red trillium and bloodroot seem to coexist. But I am forewarned now! How delightful to learn that I have another invasive plant to deal with! (NOT) I have noticed a sprig or two in the lawn this year. I also have a growing problem with Star of Bethlehem, which grows not only under the oaks and walnuts but in the vegetable garden! I have dug out great clumps of bulbs but they come back stronger, probably because it’s impossible to get all the bulbs out.
Hi! Pat — know that I am commiserating with you….
So, just to be clear, is it better to remove the flowers & buds of scilla, in a separate operation from removing green growth (reducing nutrition back to the bulb, reducing ability to flower again next year)?
Can I simply cut the entire plant at it’s base right now, as it is blooming?
Yes, most certainly. Cut away, Analisa. Because my scilla plants were interspersed with native plants, I found pulling them to be most efficient for me. Be sure to pick up any seed pods which have already developed however. Good luck!
Is this removal really just a lost cause? Will it just keep returning for years even with extensive efforts to remove it? One area of my city of Minneapolis has decided they love it, and don’t even seem to care about it’s invasive characteristics. Sometimes hard to change people’s minds, even when they have educational information. Probably requires more concrete data on how much they affect native plants.
Unfortunately at this point in time, it does seem like a lost cause. I personally just don’t have enough experience (or phenology) to make a judgement call. Right now my objective is to try to keep it from spreading. Let’s hope that’s what the City of Minneapolis has in mind for the area you mention.
I think the many of us in the Northeast love to see the Sea of Blue, after winter snows give way. They are prominient in the yards of a few old estates, and look quite lovely. I have tried for years get Chionodoxa to naturalize in my lawn. It only seems to do well in poor soil, under trees. A local Arts and Crafts Artist, Laura Wilder, has a lovely wood block print (https://laurawilder.com/proddetail.php?prod=101240) of Chionodoxa, in her collection of works. The Chionodoxa Forbesii is a wonderful site at Winterthur Gardens. The few swaths of blue, and those under the trees do not at all appear to be “Invasive” (https://www.winterthur.org/visit/museum/house/). I am shocked to hear them refered to as “Invasive”. If they are truly “invasive”, why do we have so much difficulty trying to grow them?
Michael — I do not know why you are having difficulty growing non-native Scilla or Glory-in-the-Snow. Apparently something isn’t quite right with your site’s soil, amount of sunshine or moisture to encourage their propagation. Why not try some native ephemerals to welcome spring. I’m certain you’d find Bloodroot, Dutchman’s Breeches and Virginia Bluebells just as welcoming. Or how about some violets? See Some More Signs of Spring
I live in Holland and am also trying to remove the scilla bifolia from my garden. I also don’t know where they came from. The first five years I loved them but now that changed in the opposite. Because my beautiful wood anemones (anemone nemerosa) are getting overgrown by them.
The scilla is probably feeling very comfortabel between and under the rhododendrons and is now looking for more space, but I think I can stop that by digging every little plant.
Following your instructions: cutting the flowers, removing the seeds and hope to be able to get rid of them in the next five years………
My best wishes for your success, Jozefien. This year the Scilla seem to be less, but it could a result of the yucky cold, wet spring we had. I’ll have to wait until next year to determine for certain….
I find that Chionodoxa lucilliae (Glory-of-the-Snow) is far more of a problem here in Massachusetts. Pesticides are of limited value because the bulb itself remains untouched. I have resorted to prying out the bulbs with a narrow-bladed shovel, with the help now of a water weeder from Lee Valley Tools. That seems to make all the difference for bulbs in the lawn, and I would say it is a big help in general.
Hi! Jim — I had never heard of a water weeder before, so I had to look it up. Lee Valley Water-Powered Weeder I’ll bet this would work well with some of the older, tougher Garlic Mustard and Dame’s Rocket plants as well. Thanks for making me aware of this tool.
I just got back to CT from being in FL for six months and the scilla is worse than ever, not in my lawn but in all my flower beds. I tried to pull it all out last spring but it didn’t work. 🙁
I’m sorry to hear that, Grace. My Scilla seemed to be better controlled this year, but the Bishop’s Goutweed is overwhelming. I suspect all the wet cold weather has something to do with both. See Goutweed vs Golden Alexander or Invasive Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria).
I love the scilla growing in my lawn. Alright, it’s non-native. So are earthworms. I recognize some non-natives, like honeysuckle and buckthorn, are problems. In my shaded and sparse front lawn, they are welcome. Tried to overplant with white clover but not enough sunlight. I’ve already cut down 12 trees on my one-third acre and that’s enough. (Even the fescue has trouble.) I like my squill and will plant more. BTW: neither is Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) native to North America but I like it anyway and the horses that eat it. Trying to avoid chemicals.
David — You should try moss — Donna
I have these similar flowering plants but in addition they grow a long stem about 3inches in length with an acorn shaped seed that starts out green and then turns brown in color. It seems to strangle the rest of the plant. Any info on this???
Josephine — I don’t know. Can you send a photo? – Donna
I’ve been fighting this “weed” in my 1/2 acre front lawn for years. Finally found a solution. The only thing that works unfortunately is a herbicide that contains a mix of carfentrazone and sulfentrazone. Using the herbicide at the recommended rates it will not harm the grass, I mix mine a little on the diluted side just in case. I’ve been using Spartan Charge (cheapest I’ve found) for the last few years and the infestation is almost gone. I had several patches, some being up to up to 30ft. X 30ft. and other sporadic areas. Cutting these areas with my mower would completely gum up my mower deck and I’d have to wash it out and repeat cutting for a few passes before having to wash out the deck again. I spray with a small pull behind boom sprayer in early spring when I first see the shoots come up. If you get them early for a few seasons, it kills the top growth and it cant send anything down to the bulbs for storage, gradually depleting its stores over a few seasons. Hope this helps someone, took me a while to come up with a solution to win the battle.
Thank you for sharing this! We are going to give that a try as we have a bunch in our yard and it’s doing the same to the mower. Any suggestions for our garden? It is completely overrunning our entire garden and now that the flowers have gone dormant, we are left with the long grass-like shoots that have our garden looking like a jungle. This is our first spring in this house, so its the first time we’ve dealt with this.
This scylla has taken over in the woods near our house and across the street on the Aquinas College grounds. The grounds used to be filled with many native wildflowers, now they have been crowded out. It’s a shame. Is there anything that can control them big time. This is not a small yard.
See JB’s comment, Paula — Donna
Hello: I just found out that what I thought were grape hyacinths are Siberian squill. How does it work for erosion control? I’m trying to decide whether to throw it out or re-plant where we have soil erosion I live in zone 4B in MN
Susan — The bulbs will only provide temporary erosion control. After they go dormant, the roots disappear. The roots are for erosion control. Its for sunny/shady spot, plant Clematis virginiana (Virgin’s Bower) and Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia Creeper). Just almost any native plant species will be due — Donna
HI:
I am wondering if you think Siberian squill would choke out horsetail? I would rather have the cute little blue flowers than the horsetails. Or do you have any ideas on how to rid my yard and asphalt driveway of horsetails. Thanks, Nancy
I came across this post of yours and I am glad I did. I was about to plant bulbs of early snow glories, Chionodoxa forbesii, on our lawn yard because I thought they look pretty in spring. However, now that I read what you wrote I hesitate to plant them as I am afraid they will make our yard messy. By the way do you think Early snow glories and Scilla are the same? Thank you
Oanh, they will look messy — Donna
Some of you are spraying plants like scilla and garlic mustard? they are beneficial ! you are the alien invasive ruining everything. lord help us from these fools.
Minnesota WildflowersI understand that Scilla is prized in your part of the world (Russia), but that is where it evolved so it belongs there. It is a natural part of your ecosystem and has been for thousands of years.
The same is not true here. We have our own native plant species that evolved with our native insects that belong in our unique ecosystems, and those are the species that should be in our woodlands. Over here, the natural predators that keep Scilla populations under control do not exist, so it is free to spread wherever it finds suitable habitat. I know someone who saw Scilla take over an entire woodlands in a matter of 5 years. It replaces our own native species when it does that and degrades the ecosystem for insects that depend on our natives.
Danielle, I have learned that some bees do feed on Scilla, but that does not make it a viable replacement for the natives it displaces. Some generalist insects can make use of it or other exotics as a food source, but specialist insects suffer when the diverse native plant populations are reduced or wiped out. I contacted the Xerces Society about their recommended plant lists and expressed concerns about some that are generally available in the garden trade but known to escape cultivation and invade natural areas. While they do prefer people plant native species, they don’t discourage exotics or have a policy on invasive species, which is counter-productive. That’s really unfortunate because the organization otherwise does good work.
Anyone who doesn’t understand the special relationships between insects and plants should read Doug Tallamy’s book “Bringing Nature Home”. It should be required reading for all gardeners, everywhere. An educated gardener is our best hope for preventing the further collapse of native insect populations (bees, butterflies and everything else, and on up the food chain), and the ecosystems they need to survive.