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Blue Squill
Merwilla plumbea
SA tree number
English: Blue Squill, Wild Squill, Blue Hyacinth, Cape Bluebell
Afrikaans: Blouberglelie, Blouslangkop
Zulu: Inguduza
Misapplied or old botanical names: Scilla plumbea, Scilla kraussii, Scilla natalensis, Merwilla natalensis
Merwilla plumbea, commonly known as Blue Squill or Blouslangkop, is a beautiful deciduous perennial bulb that really stands out with its tall, misty blue plumes of star-shaped flowers. It's one of the showiest scillas in South Africa, often appearing just before or with its broad, strap-like leaves in spring and early summer.
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Distinguishing features:
Produces tall, slender racemes of numerous, bright violet-blue, pale blue, or blue and white star-shaped flowers.
Flowers appear in spring to early summer, often before or with the new leaves.
Has a large bulb, typically 10 to 15 cm in diameter, covered with firm, papery brown or purplish tunics.
Overall appearance:
A graceful deciduous perennial bulb with a rosette of broad leaves and tall plumes of blue flowers.
Height:
Flower stalks are usually about 1 m tall, but can range from 0.75 m to 1.4 m.
Leaves:
Rosette of 6 to 9 broad, tapering leaves.
Emerge from the top of the bulb in spring.
Light green with white-grey overtones, or entirely green.
Can have purplish colouring on the margins, at the base or apex, or the underside can be partially or entirely shaded with purple.
Densely hairy with white hairs on the lower surface.
Shed in autumn but may remain evergreen if well watered.
Flowers:
Inflorescence is a many-flowered, slender raceme.
Bright violet-blue, pale blue, or blue and white.
Star-shaped, each on a delicate amethyst blue stalk.
Flowers measure about 10 mm in diameter.
Flowers have a honey-like scent towards evening.
Visited by bees during the day.
There is also a white form.
Flowering season:
Spring to early summer (October).
Fruits:
Capsules that split when mature.
Seeds:
Beige in colour.
Somewhat irregular in shape and a bit wrinkled.
Measures 6 mm long x 2-3 mm wide, tapering to a point.
Light in weight and dispersed by wind.
Does not last long unless refrigerated.
Bulbs:
Large, 10 to 15 cm in diameter.
Covered with firm, hardened, papery brown or purplish tunics (bulb scales).
Much of the upper part is usually above ground.
Creates bulblets at the base of the mother bulb.
Soil type:
Well-drained soil, including sandy and loam. Tolerates winter rain if well-drained, preferably on a slope.
Aspect:
Full sun, morning sun (semi-shade), afternoon sun (semi-shade).
Edibility:
Toxic to humans when raw; plant must first be heated for any internal preparations.
Toxicity:
Selectively toxic to mammals.
Poisonous to livestock, particularly when young leaves appear in spring (can be fatal to sheep if fresh bulb is consumed).
Toxic to humans when raw; internal consumption is potentially fatal.
Sap is reported to burn the skin.
Uses:
Traditional Medicine (muthi):
One of the most popularly traded muthi items in KwaZulu-Natal.
Warmed fresh bulb scales, slightly burned bulb scales, ash from the burned plant, and decoctions of the bulb are used externally as ointments for wound-healing, to treat sprains, fractures, boils, and sores, and to draw abscesses.Used for female infertility, to enhance male potency and libido, as a purgative, and a laxative.
Phytochemical studies support its use for anti-inflammatory and anti-mutagenic properties.
Horticulture:
Very attractive, hardy garden plant.
Excellent for rockeries, borders, and containers.
Popular choice for home gardeners and landscapers.
Used in South African festivals and traditional occasions.
Ecology:
Flowers have a honey-like scent towards evening and are visited by bees during the day.
Populations are declining due to intensive poaching of the bulbs for medicinal use.
Long-lived individuals (average age suspected to be 25 years).
Distribution and habitat:
Occurs on the east of southern Africa.
Found throughout the Eastern Cape, Lesotho, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, and Mpumalanga in South Africa.
Also found in eSwatini (Swaziland).
Found growing in a variety of habitats, including sunny slopes, rocky hills, cliffs and ledges, damp cliff faces, near waterfalls, in moist depressions, and on the edges of streams and vleis.
Grows in grasslands and highland mist belt areas.
Occurs at altitudes between 300-2500 metres.
Derivation of name:
The genus name Merwilla honours Dr. M. Merwe, a South African botanist.
The species name plumbea is Latin for 'leaden' or 'bluish-grey', referring to the colour of the flowers, or perhaps the leaves having a greyish overtone.
This plant was previously known as Scilla natalensis and Scilla plumbea, but its taxonomy was revised, placing it in the genus Merwilla.
Historical aspects:
A highly sought-after species that has been extensively exploited for medicinal use over most of its range, leading to a suspected decline of at least 25% over the past three generations (75 years).
Documented as the most prevalent and in-demand species in KwaZulu-Natal muthi markets in the late 1980s.
Research indicates an increased prevalence of smaller bulbs being traded, suggesting over-harvesting of mature plants.
Interesting facts:
This beautiful bulb changes its look with the seasons! It's deciduous, meaning its leaves disappear in winter, leaving just the papery tops of its underground bulb. Then, like magic, in spring, new leaves and stunning blue flower spikes emerge!
Despite its beauty, this plant is quite the "danger zone" if eaten raw! It's known to be toxic to humans and livestock, especially its young leaves. So, it's best admired from a distance unless prepared by experts!
Its common name, Blue Squill, perfectly describes its misty blue, plume-like flowers that can float up to 1.4 metres tall, making them look like a blue haze in the landscape.
Growing tips:
Plant bulbs with at least two-thirds to one half of the bulb above ground.
Use good, well-drained soil enriched with compost.
Best planting time is late winter to early spring.
Keep a good layer of mulch around them throughout the year to retain moisture and enrich the soil.
Water well during summer months for best results.
Withhold water in late summer as leaves begin to yellow, and keep dry during winter dormancy to prevent bulb rot.
Propagate by fresh seed (takes 4-7 years to mature) or by dividing offsets from the mother bulb in winter when dormant.
This plant resents being disturbed, so it might not flower for a season or two after being moved.
Considered frost hardy to zone 9, but in severely cold climates, it's best grown in containers and taken indoors during winter.
This plant is a fantastic alternative for:
Common name
Scientific Name
Plant type:
Deciduous, bulbous or perennial
Plant family:
Asparagaceae (Latin plant name) - Order: Asparagales