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December 2004 Telesonix jamesii November 2004 Ranunculus eschscholtzii October 2004 Crocus speciosus September 2004 Arenaria 'Wallowas' August 2004 Scilla autumnalis July 2004 Leontopodium souliei June 2004 Penstemon pinifolius May 2004 Draba rigida v. bryoides April 2004 Vitaliana primuliflora March 2004 Clematis hirsutissima February 2004 Lewisia pygmaea January 2004 Hymenoxis grandiflora Archive 2003 Archive 2002 Archive 2001 Archive 2000 Archive 1999 Archive 1998 Archive 1997

Plant of the Month August 2004 Scilla autumnalis by Iza Goroff Scilla autumnalis is a member of the Lily family (Liliaceae) or for botanical splitters a member of the Hyacinth family (Hyacinthaceae). Scilla autumnalis is native from Great Britain East to Asia Minor and even extends into Africa. We are all familiar with the spring flowering scillas - Scilla sibirica and perhaps even Scilla mischtschenkoana (gesundheit!). Scilla autumnalis flowers in late summer, August in the plants pictured. Unlike the larger and more loosely held flowers of its spring relatives, Scilla autumnalis has very small 0.2" (5 mm) flowers, densely packed and held tight to the vertical 8 - 15" (20 -37 cm) stem. Its value lies in its time of bloom before the usual autumn crocus and colchicum flower. Scilla autumnalis is said to bloom before its leaves emerge; clearly that is not the case with the pictured plants. Scilla autumnalis is distinguished from its close relative Scilla scilloides by the color of its anthers, pink in Scilla autumnalis, yellow in Scilla scilloides. Scilla autumnalis is rarely available from bulb dealers. It is something of a pass-along plant, permanent in the garden with some natural propagation. It may be grown from seed or dormant bulbs lifted to find offsets. Scilla autumnalis is hardy to at least -15F (-26C). It may have survived -31F (-35C) , but I cannot remember exactly when I received the plants.