A small plant with an outsized amount of character, Ledebouria socialis is sold under several names, silver squill, leopard lily and the older Scilla violacea. The lance shaped leaves are a soft silver green marked with darker green blotching, and the undersides are a deep wine purple that flashes when the light comes from behind. Best of all are the bulbs themselves, which sit clustered proudly above the compost rather than buried in it, like a little colony of onions.

It is a natural for a windowsill, a desk or a shelf of small pots, and it clumps up quickly into a generous little cluster. Coming from dry South African grassland, it stores water in those bulbs and asks for very little in return.

Care at a glance

Light: Bright light, including a few hours of gentle direct sun, which keeps the leaf markings and the purple undersides strong. It goes plain and leggy in shade.

Water: Sparingly. Let the compost dry out almost completely between waterings and cut right back through winter. It will forgive being forgotten far sooner than being overwatered.

Humidity: Average rooms are absolutely fine, and it prefers dry air to damp.

Compost: Free draining, a cactus or succulent mix is ideal. Leave the bulbs sitting on the surface rather than burying them.

Note: Toxic if eaten, so best kept out of reach of pets and small children.

As a living plant, size and leaf shape vary from one to the next, so yours will be one of a kind.