I too became quite enamored of this beautiful scilla and found a source. Three purchased bulbs produced three flowering scapes in the autumn here in southern California. I live in the San Fernando Valley part of Los Angeles, and the days can become pretty hot in July and August (88 to 95 degrees), but nights cool to 65 to 72 degrees. September days and nights begin cooling -- and the Scilla mads respond lustily to this cooler weather. I planted my purchased bulbs not above ground as in Kew's images but with the bulb's noses just above ground (potting soil) level. They have prospered thusly. Since I bought three bulbs, I have presumed they are seedling grown. And when they bloomed, I gently jostled the blooming scapes one against the other. Each scape produced an average of six or seven seed. I kept the plants properly watered until these green seed began to turn yellowish (in June). At that time, I carefully removed each maturing seed and kept it protected inside the house. After at least a month and beginning in July, all seed were harvested, and I soaked them in water overnight. The next day I was able to remove the outer pod material as it had become soft and mushy. Each seed pod had one hard black seed. Since the parent bulbs were quite going dormant for the summer, I planted these seed as if nature had dropped them. Just 1/8 inch deep in a mixture half perlite and half steam-sterilized humus was my choice of potting soil. I planted a crop of about 25 seed into one large (two gallon) shallow but wide pot. After planting and watering the seed, I stretched shrink-wrap over the pot so as to keep the planting medium -- and seed -- gently moist but not wet. I think every seed came up over a span of several weeks and appeared healthy. Here in southern California the winters are usually mild with the coldest nights at about 37 to 39 degrees. I babied these seedlings through the winter (bringing the pot inside for the night) and they have grown "great guns". Now, in early July 2021, the pot is exploding with healthy semi-mature leaves and have filled the pot as much as can be imagined. I am keeping it in dappled shade for the morning and full shade against the afternoon sun. It is now too late to divide this cram-packed pot, so I'll have to baby it through the 2021-2022 winter. When these seedlings go dormant next June or July, I will divide them and give them each a proper home. Note regarding my purchased bubs: I noticed that where the leaves had emerged from the bulbs, several leaves harbored populations of mealy bugs. I sprayed immediately, and it looks as if I have eradicated the infestation. A word to the wise: keep an eye out for mealy bugs on your bulbs! As for fertilizer, the Los Angeles city water is slightly alkaline. Consequently, I add a wee bit of acid fertilizer to the water every time watering seems required. I kept the parent bulbs as well as the babies gently watered but do not ever allow water to accumulate in the soil; the planting medium plus the active roots keep the soil more on the dry side rather than water-logged. If things continue to develop so well, then in the summer of 2022 I will plant these seedlings into the yard in a semi-protected spot and see how they do. Fingers crossed that in another year or two I should have a forest of blooms to rival the images of Kew's beautiful plants. Hope the above information may give you the impetus to grow your bulbs with perfect results. Phil

HI Josh, I have no way at all to predict when mine will bloom to be honest and since very few of my plants have name tags in them I have no clue what most are until they bloom. Mine are stored bone-dry for 6 months of the year due to lack of space to keep more things growing in the winter. During the summer they get rain or water almost every day and as long as they are in full sun they seem to appreciate it. They certainly offset way more than they bloom though so I clearly do not have it figured out. I have not seen my S. chloranthum bloom in a couple of years so I have no idea where it is or even if it still exists in my collection. It was in amongst of a bunch of Rauhia that I purchased once so I think it is still in one of those pots. Since it is not much of a looker at all I never really paid much attention to it.....not a good habit I know :o) Dan

Hi Donna, Thank you. I looked up ETGB before and they are sold out.. And I could not find another source. I guess I will wait for it to come back in stock. I do have H. cybister from Telos bulbs.. I heard H. chico is either a hybrid or a very nice clone of Cybister, so I was planning to get it from big bulb companies.. I will let you know if my search is successful regarding H. R. silhouette.. In fact I just bought Scilla Maderensis from ETGB. I should have asked if they had any H. chico left that are not listed..But I am very excited about S.maderensis!! Radha. Here is a pic of the bulb.. And link to google flower pics.. Here is a link that might be useful: scilla madeirensis

Rick, This is what I've done a few times, probably not recommended by many but for me it has worked. When faced with very high probability that your selfings might fail, why not put another's pollen, papilio, aulicum. or something else you might consider worthy on one or both flowers? At the very least you might get seeds and at the very worst, you might have to wait to see what they are, shouldn't be hard to determine once they bloom. I did this on my last papilio flower about 5 years ago, mixed several pollens in desperation for seeds and it worked. A few years later when my first seedling bloomed it was determined by many on this forum that it was Exotic Star that had taken. In this particular case I had mixed 5 pollens!!) I also just did it with my nelsonii, I just had the two flowers and had selfed both even though many on the forum said it was self sterile unless you possibly had a different clone. I put Exotic Star on one and papilio on the other (right over the nelsonii pollen) and they both took !!! I am growing healthy seedlings of both and as I say, if I can bring them to bloom it will be obvious as to whether they were selfed or not. Better than not getting any seeds from such a special plant in my estimation. Just my way of doing things....☺☺☺Donna