• Photo of Drimia maritima (Drimia maritimas)

Plant Profile: Drimia maritima

Taxonomy: Drimia maritima

Names

Red Squill, Sea Onion

  • Photo of Drimia maritima (Drimia maritimas)

Phonetic Spelling:Da-RY-mee-a ma-RIT-iy-muh

Genus:Drimia

Species:maritima

Family:Asparagaceae

Red Squill is a sizable bulb native to the Mediterranean coast. Its basal leaves are thick and strap-like, emerging during the winter months. In late summer, it produces tall spikes adorned with white flowers. This plant requires protection when temperatures drop below 28°F, so it should be brought indoors in regions with colder climates.

When planting, position the bulb so that only the top inch is exposed above the soil surface, and space them 18 to 24 inches apart to facilitate the natural spreading of each clump. The soil should be well-drained, with sandy soils being ideal; however, it can also thrive in heavier soils if planted on a slope.

Drimia maritima Feature Summary

Drimia maritima Image Gallery

Tags

#bulb
#showy flowers
#poisonous
#coastal plants
#rock gardens
#sandy soils tolerant
#container plants

Similar Plants

Drimia maritima Feature Summary

Attributes
The red bulb (variety rubra) contains the rat poison "scilliroside", while the white bulb is used as a cardiotonic.
France, Italy, Morocco, Portugal and Spain
low flammability
Flowers
Stalks of white flowers sometimes tinged with purple-red striations on the sepals. Blooms late summer into autumn.
Purple/Lavender
White
Red/Burgundy
6 petals/rays
Leaves
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.
Lanceolate
> 6 inches
3-6 inches
Poisonous to Humans
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain if eaten
Cardiac glycosides
Seeds
Leaves
Stems
Flowers
Fruits
Roots
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
Coastal
8b
8a
9a
9b
10a
10b
11a
11b
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Landscape
Rock Garden
Container
Houseplants
Coastal
Poisonous to Humans

Drimia maritima Attributes

Drimia maritima: Uses (Ethnobotany)

The red bulb (variety rubra) contains the rat poison "scilliroside", while the white bulb is used as a cardiotonic.

Drimia maritima: Country Or Region Of Origin

France, Italy, Morocco, Portugal and Spain

Drimia maritima: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Drimia maritima: Fire Risk Rating

extreme flammability
high flammability
low flammability
medium flammability

Drimia maritima Flowers

Drimia maritima: Flower Description

Stalks of white flowers sometimes tinged with purple-red striations on the sepals. Blooms late summer into autumn.

Drimia maritima: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Purple/Lavender
filter_vintage
Red/Burgundy
filter_vintage
White

Drimia maritima: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Drimia maritima: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Drimia maritima: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Drimia maritima: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Drimia maritima: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Drimia maritima Leaves

Drimia maritima: Leaf Description

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.

Drimia maritima: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Drimia maritima: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Drimia maritima: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Drimia maritima: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Drimia maritima: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Drimia maritima: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Drimia maritima: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Drimia maritima: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Drimia maritima: Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Drimia maritima: Leaf Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Drimia maritima Poisonous to Humans

Drimia maritima: Poison Symptoms

Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain if eaten

Drimia maritima: Poison Toxic Principle

Cardiac glycosides

Drimia maritima: Poison Severity

High
Low
Medium

Drimia maritima: Causes Contact Dermatitis

No
Yes

Drimia maritima: Poison Part

Bark
Flowers
Fruits
Leaves
Roots
Sap/Juice
Seeds
Stems

Drimia maritima Whole Plant Traits

Drimia maritima: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Drimia maritima: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Drimia maritima: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Drimia maritima Cultural Conditions

Drimia maritima: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Drimia maritima: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Drimia maritima: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Drimia maritima: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
10a
thermostat
10b
thermostat
11a
thermostat
11b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Drimia maritima: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Drimia maritima Stem

Drimia maritima: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Drimia maritima Landscape

Drimia maritima: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Drimia maritima: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Drimia maritima: Problems

Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy