Sea squill is a large bulb in the asparagus family native to the Mediterranean coastal areas of southern Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa. The word Drimia in Greek means “acrid” or “pungent”, due to the irritating sap produced and maritima means by the sea. While in bloom it can reach 4-7 feet tall. The basal leaves are strap-like and fleshy and appear in the winter. The flowers appear as tall spikes of white flowers in late summer and are pollinated by both wind and insects. The large bulbs can reach 8 inches across. It needs protection below 28F and will need to be brought indoors in colder climates. Plant in the garden with only the top inch of the bulb above ground level and spaced 18-24 inches apart to allow individual clumps to spread. The soil needs to be well-drained, sandy soils being best, but can be grown in heavier soils if on a slope. They prefer full sun to partial shade. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Available space
3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Coastal
Mature size
Height: 4 ft. 0 in. - 7 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Semi-evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Rosulate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Fleshy
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, 3-6 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Leaves are 12-18 inches long by 4 inches wide and are blue-green glaucus strap-shaped leaves that emerge in late fall and last into the following summer in the southwest USA.
Flower color
Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Raceme; Spike
Flower shape
Star
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Stalks of white flowers are sometimes tinged with purple-red striations on the sepals. They are star-shaped with 6 petals. Blooms late summer into autumn. Some varieties have redish flowers.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit type
Follicle
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Follicles open when ripe, each containing one smooth, polished, brown seed
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Tall leafless green stem
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
France, Italy, Morocco, Portugal and Spain
Attracts
Bees
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall; Winter
Fruit type
Follicle
Uses (ethnobotany)
The red bulb (variety rubra) contains the rat poison "scilliroside", while the white bulb is used as a cardiotonic.