Ledebouria
By Sue from Nuno Indoor plants
Ledebouria are distributed across Africa, India and Madagascar, with most in the east of southern Africa. (2) Two of these fascinating plants are popular and easy Indoor Plants:
· The Leopard Lily (Ledebouria petiolate, previously Drimiopsis maculata)(1)
· Silver Squill (Ledebouria socialis, previously Scilla violacea, after the violet undersides (2)
They make pretty indoor plantings – and are pretty easy to grow!
In fact, they are excellent for beginners.- – even those who neglect their plants, as they actually love being overcrowded and under-watered! Both have interesting succulent-type bulbs a little exposed above the soil, adding special textural interest to these plants.
They are drought-hardy but are not actually succulents.
THE LEOPARD LILY
Leopard Lilies have flat, fleshy heart-shaped leaves with darker translucent spots, but the markings are darker purple if the plant is in brighter light (1). They love shade and don’t like to be in direct sun, except perhaps a little morning sun.
The plants grow to 25cm high and are winter dormant. The flowers are small bright white buds that turn pale green. They have been grown on indoor windowsills for decades in Europe. They occur naturally in forests and grasslands in eastern South Africa and have traditional medicinal uses (3).
SILVER SQUILL
Silver squill, endemic to the Eastern Cape, is the most well-known of all the ledebouria. It is a curious pot plant with its bulbs exposed above ground level and silvery green-spotted leaves varying from green to bright purple on the underside. It has a densely gregarious or ‘social’ growth habit which is unmistakable.
It is enjoyed by many collectors of rare and unusual plants, as well as bulb lovers and indoor plant enthusiasts all over the world (2).The silver squill is particularly pretty in indirect summer light, when the bulblets flush with purple tones – in winter they revert to greens.
In the wild, it is not threatened and grows in the shade (2). It is unsure whether it is toxic, so it is best to be cautious. They are also popular as accent plants for bonsai enthusiasts and miniature garden growers for their dwarf size (2).
Both Ledebouria prefers to be planted in a well-drained, sandy soil and compost mix. The bulbs need to be slightly exposed above the soil level. They need to be lightly watered when the soil dries out, fed in the summer growing season, and given less water in winter (2). They can be kept evergreen all year indoors.
BIIBLIOGRAPHY 1 Ledebouria petiolata | PlantZAfrica (sanbi.org) (as accessed 06/06/2021) 2 Ledebouria socialis | PlantZAfrica (sanbi.org) (As accessed 06/06/2021) 3 Grow Wild | Purposefully Indigenous: Grow wild/plant-list?search=ledebouria (as accessed 06/06/2021)
USEFUL REFERENCES 4 How to Grow and Care for a Silver Squill | World of Succulents (as accessed 06/06/2021) 5 Silver Squill Propagation: Learn About Growing Silver Squill Plants (gardeningknowhow.com) (As accessed 06/06/2021)
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