Thursday, May 14, 2015

Identity of the mystery flower


If you haven't happened to read the comments on my "Mysterious Flower" post, you won't know that a positive identification has been made.  A reader, Susan, identified the pretty blue flower as Siberian Squill.  Thank you, Susan!!

I wanted to know more, so I did an online search to see what I could find out.  Scilla Siberica is absolutely beautiful, but some say it is invasive ... others, only that it naturalizes easily and is very hardy.  This post -- Be Careful What You Wish For at Garden Sense gives both sides of the story.  There are many folks out there who have been trying to eradicate this plant from their gardens for years, and it just won't die but keeps on spreading!

I do think it is pretty, and as you can see it's in a pretty inhospitable spot.  Rocky, leaf-covered, and not really in our yard at all, but down below it.  If it spreads in the woods down there it can do no harm.  Still, I can't help but be reminded of two other pests -- periwinkle, which I may finally be rid of, and jewelweed, which I may never be rid of.  I must say this is prettier than both of them, though!

3 comments:

  1. I am battling lily of the valley. Yes, I think it is beautiful and smells so good, but it is horridly invasive and very difficult to be rid of. I ruined my health trying. Hope that the Siberian Squill stays within its parameters.

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  2. I hope so too, Vee. I have lily of the valley, but my soil is inhospitable and -- although it has spread -- it has not overtaken anything. I am sorry to hear that you ruined your health in the battle with it.

    Reminds me of my own battle with periwinkle. You can read about it here: Periwinkle Thoughts if the link works -- and it may not. Anyhow, the post is called Periwinkle Thoughts and I wrote it in 2007. Occasionally I still find sprigs of it!

    There's a definite spiritual application, as I'm sure you have noticed, to these plants that look so beautiful but are so invasive. Worth our consideration.

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  3. Trying that link again ... we will see. Periwinkle Thoughts

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