Menu list goes here

Herbal Database Search Results

Back to: Pathways Main Search Page For Metaphysical uses visit The Witchs Haven

Scilla scilloides

Common name:		Family:	Hyacinthaceae
Author:	(Lindl.)Druce.	Botanical references:	58, 200
Synonyms:	Scilla sinensis ((Lour.)Merrill.)
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	E. Asia - China, Japan, Korea.
Habitat:	Hills and lowland all over Japan[58].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	1	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	1

Physical Characteristics

Bulb growing to 0.4m by 0.05m . It is hardy to zone 5. It is in flower from August to September. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). We rate it 1/5 for edibility and 1/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Cultivated Beds.

Edible Uses

Leaves; Root.

Leaves - cooked[105, 177].
Bulb[105, 177]. No more details are given. The bulb is up to 2cm in diameter[200].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Poultice.

The bulbs are pounded and applied to abscesses[218].

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Succeeds in full sun or light shade in a well-drained humus-rich soil with adequate moisture when in growth[200].
The hardiness of this plant varies according to provenance, the hardiest forms tolerate temperatures down to about -15°c[200].
The flowers have a hyacinth-like aroma[245].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Sow the seed thinly and allow the seedlings to remain in the pot for their first year of growth, giving them liquid feeds if necessary. Prick out the young bulbs, 2-3 to a pot, when dormant and grow them on for their next two years in a frame. Plant them out into their permanent positions when dormant[200].
Division of established clumps when the foliage dies down in the summer[200]. The larger bulbs can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is best to pot up the smaller bulbs and grow them on in a cold frame for a year before planting them out when dormant in late summer.

Scent

Flowers: Fresh: The flowers have a hyacinth-like aroma[245].

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[58] Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965
The standard work. Brilliant, but not for the casual reader.

[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

Readers Comments

Main Search Page

Bibliography

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963

This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Scilla+scilloides
This page (US) http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Scilla+scilloides

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
(You can copy, distribute, display this works but: Attribution is required, its for Non-Commercial purposes, and it's Share Alike (GNUish/copyleft) i.e. has an identical license.)
We also ask that you let us know (michael@thewitchshaven.com) if you link to, redistribute, make a derived work or do anything groovy with this information.

Pathways Home :: View Cart :: Shipping & Returns :: Contact Us :: Privacy Policy :: Philosophy :: The Witchs Haven

We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.