sweet thunder
Senior Member
Posts: 210
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 1:43 pm
Location: Eureka, CA

Can you help me ID this bulb?

These guys come up early every spring in the shade of my redwood tree. I'm not especially fond of them, particularly after the foliage collapses, so I was thinking of putting something else there.
These aren't the best photos (that flower is the last one!) but hopefully they can give some indication.
I'd love to know what they are before I decide if they get to stay.

Plant:
[img]https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3347/3622675219_c769d62ba8.jpg[/img]

Flower:
[img]https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2425/3623496282_fc98a7ff88.jpg[/img]

User avatar
Kisal
Mod Emeritus
Posts: 7646
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 1:04 am
Location: Oregon

I believe they are a variety of Scilla. I think the ones I have are called Spanish Bluebells. I have found them to be extremely invasive. I leave a few where I want them, but the rest I remove.

These are not the same as the English bluebells. Here is a link to a page that describes some of the differences between the two:

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=426

sweet thunder
Senior Member
Posts: 210
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 1:43 pm
Location: Eureka, CA

Yikes! Well at least I won't be worried about ripping them out, but it sounds like I've got my work cut out for me.
Thanks for the help!

User avatar
Kisal
Mod Emeritus
Posts: 7646
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 1:04 am
Location: Oregon

Yes, I spend a lot of time removing them, too. But, they are pretty in the early spring, and they seem to grow well in shady, wet places, where I've been unable to get much of anything else established. So, I appreciate them for their tenacity, and enjoy the beauty and color they add to difficult areas of my yard. :)

Everywhere else, though, I just yank 'em out when I see them. :lol:



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