Close-up of Ledebouria socialis leaves with dark green spots

Potted Ledebouria socialis with silver-green spotted leaves

Overhead view of baby Ledebouria socialis with visible bulbs

Three baby Ledebouria socialis plants showing varied leaf shapes

Close-up of a dense cluster of spotted Ledebouria socialis leaves

Baby Ledebouria socialis in a terracotta nursery pot, front view

Baby Ledebouria socialis with spotted leaves and exposed bulbs in a terracotta pot

Group of three Ledebouria socialis plants in terracotta nursery pots

Top close-up of Ledebouria socialis foliage and exposed bulbs

Asparagaceae

Ledebouria socialis

Silver Squill

5 for 4

Ledebouria socialis is a compact bulbous plant with silvery spotted leaves and dense groups of red-toned bulbs that remain partly exposed at the base. Fresh leaves can return when growth resumes, and established plants may also send up slender flower stems between the rosettes.

Read full guide to Ledebouria socialis

€9,75

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Choose a size

Baby · XS Pot Ø 6 cm · approx. 10 cm tall

Variant

Sizes are approximate. Height is measured from the bottom of the pot to the top of the plant; diameter at the widest point.

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Care at a glance

Ledebouria socialis

Light

Very bright / some direct • approx. 20,000–40,000 lux

Watering

Water when ~80–95% dry

Substrate

Airy + gritty • Fast-draining • Mineral-leaning • Medium

Temperature

Ideal: 18–26 °C • Avoid below: 5 °C

Humidity

Average 40–50%

Growth habit

Bulbous clumping succulent perennial.

Support

not needed

Growth speed

Slow

Cultivated size guide

Height: 20 cm • Spread: 30 cm

Toxicity & safety

Toxic

Origin & habitat

Native to the Eastern Cape, South Africa, from Hankey to East London

Outdoor growing

Outside from 10 °C · sheltered spot

How to read these values

These care values give practical guidance for growing the plant. Adjust care for pot size, substrate, temperature and how quickly the substrate dries.

For more detail, read the full product description or visit our Plant Care Guides.

Light: level and approximate lux at leaf level.
Watering: “% dry” shows how far the substrate should dry before watering again.
Substrate: structure, drainage, moisture retention, base material and particle size.
Temperature: “Ideal” shows the preferred range; “Avoid below” marks the cold-stress threshold.
Humidity: target range; steady conditions usually matter more than exact numbers.

Growth habit: how the plant grows, such as upright, climbing, trailing, clumping or rosette-forming.
Support: whether a stake, pole or trellis is needed, optional or unnecessary.
Growth speed: expected pace under suitable growing conditions; use as a guide, not a promise.

Cultivated size guide: approximate dimensions for an established plant in the stated growing context. Height is measured upwards from the growing surface; foliage height excludes flower stems. Trailing length follows a stem, while foliage drop is the vertical distance from the crown to the lowest leaf tips. Spread is the width of the leafy plant or crown, not an individual leaf. Flowering height includes the flower stems. A container guide applies to pot-grown plants; an in-ground guide applies to plants rooted in the ground. Size also depends on age, conditions, pot space and training.

These figures do not describe the size supplied and are not fixed upper limits.

Toxicity & safety: irritation, toxicity or physical hazards such as spines or bristles.
Origin & habitat: native range, hybrid background or typical habitat where relevant.
Outdoor growing: when a potted indoor plant can be placed outside and what outdoor protection it needs.

Ledebouria socialis

A young plant may begin with only a few bulbs, then fill out as new bulbs develop around the original growth. Successive bulbs form new rosettes and gradually build a dense clump.

The bulbs are red to purple-red and often sit partly above the growing mix. Narrow, slightly fleshy leaves carry a silver background with irregular green to brown spotting, and established plants may also send up slender flower stems between the rosettes.

Key features of Ledebouria socialis

Small red to purple-red bulbs sit partly above the growing mix and multiply into dense groups.
Each bulb usually carries a few narrow, slightly fleshy leaves with a silver background and irregular green to brown spotting.
The undersides of the leaves vary from green to purple, and colour intensity can differ from plant to plant.
Slender flower stalks carry loose clusters of small green-white flowers with pink tones and prominent purple stamens.

Origin & background

Botanical identity and natural origin of Ledebouria socialis

Ledebouria socialis is found naturally only in South Africa's Eastern Cape. It grows in evergreen woodland and scrub forest in river valleys, often in shallow, stony soils. The region can experience prolonged drought, and the bulbs allow the plant to survive dry periods.

The plant was once known as Scilla socialis.

Plant care

Caring for Ledebouria socialis

Light: Give it bright light with some gentle direct sun. Strong light supports compact leaves and clear markings.
Temperature: Keep temperatures around 18–26 °C. Avoid prolonged temperatures below 5 °C. Keep it frost-free; normal room temperatures suit active growth.
Humidity: Aim for 40–50% humidity. Average to dry indoor air suits the plant. Keep air moving freely around the exposed bulbs and leaf bases.
Water: When fresh leaves are developing, wait until the mix has dried well and the pot feels lighter before giving it a thorough watering. When growth slows or leaves begin to die back, extend the interval between waterings.
Growing mix: Use a sandy, fast-draining mix. Position the bulbs so their upper sections remain exposed.
Feeding: Apply a light, balanced feed while fresh leaves and new bulbs are developing.
Repotting: Repot when the bulb colony crowds the container or the mix has become dense or drains more slowly. New bulbs can be separated at the same time.

Issues & solutions

Problems to watch for in Ledebouria socialis

Brown or grey spots spread across the leaves: A leaf-spot disease may be involved, especially when foliage stays damp. Remove badly affected leaves with clean tools, improve air movement and keep watering directed to the growing mix.
Bulbs or roots become soft and brown: Excess moisture has damaged the bulb or root tissue. Remove soft tissue with a clean, disinfected blade, allow cut surfaces to dry, and replant in fresh, fast-draining mix.
Brown leaf edges: Strong sun combined with a dry root ball can mark the foliage. Check the mix, water if it is dry, and give the plant gentler direct light while it recovers.
Cottony deposits, fine pale speckling or small shell-like bumps: Mealybugs, spider mites or scale can occur on stressed plants. Isolate the plant and inspect the bulbs and leaf bases closely. For control, choose an ornamental-plant treatment whose label names the confirmed pest, and repeat it only as often as the label instructs.

Safety

Ledebouria socialis is toxic to cats and dogs

Keep this plant away from cats and dogs that may chew it.
Chewing may cause mouth irritation, vomiting, stomach pain or weakness.
Contact a veterinarian after pet ingestion. Seek medical advice if a person swallows the plant and becomes unwell.

Names & etymology

Ledebouria socialis: name and meaning

Ledebouria honours Carl Friedrich von Ledebour. The epithet socialis means social or growing in colonies and suits the plant’s clustered bulbs and offsets.

Albrecht Wilhelm Roth established the genus Ledebouria in 1821 in Novae Plantarum Species, page 194.

John Gilbert Baker first described it as Scilla socialis in 1870 in The Refugium Botanicum, volume 3, plate 180. John Peter Jessop later placed it in Ledebouria as Ledebouria socialis in 1970 in Journal of South African Botany, volume 36, page 253.

Plant names, growth habits, natural habitats and indoor care guidance are checked against trusted botanical, habitat and horticultural references before publication.View our plant care resources and references.

Ledebouria socialis

€9,75