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Asparagaceae
Sea Squill
Drimia maritima
Ancient healing power.
- Family
- Asparagaceae
- Genus
- Drimia
- Native to
- Mediterranean, North Africa, Middle East
- Bloom season
- Summer, Fall
- Type
- bulb
- Height
- 2-5 ft
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- dry, rocky, well-drained
- Water
- low
- Hardiness
- 8-11
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- Sea squill produces a remarkable 5-foot flower spike of white blooms before any leaves appear — a spectacle in late summer.
- The enormous bulb can weigh over 6 pounds and was used medicinally since ancient Egyptian times as a heart stimulant.
- Ancient Romans used sea squill as a rat poison; the glycosides bufadienolides within are highly toxic to rodents.
- Despite the toxicity, the bulb has been used by Mediterranean peoples to treat respiratory problems for 4,000 years.
- The flower spike appears in August after a long summer dormancy, with leaves following after the flowers fade.
Color meanings
0
ancient wisdom
1
healing
2
resilience