Virginia Bluebells

Biological Name:

Mertensia virginica (Virginia-Bluebells)

Natural Habitat:

The Virginia-Bluebells is native to the eastern United States, where it can be found in moist woodlands and along the edges of streams and rivers.

Description:

Virginia-Bluebells also known as Mertensia is a plant that is native to grassland and prairie regions of North America. It is a perennial herb that can grow up to two feet tall and it has small oval-shaped leaves and small bell-shaped flowers that are typically blue or pink in color. The plant is known for its ability to attract pollinators and it is often used as an ornamental plant in gardens and landscapes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Are Virginia bluebells invasive?
A: Virginia Bluebells are not invasive within their native range, since they are native and belong there! But, in their preferred growing conditions they can become aggressive. However, this is generally not a concern as they can be pulled/dug fairly easily.
Source

Q: Can I dig up bluebells on my own land?
A: The bluebell is protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981). This means digging up the plant or bulb in the countryside is prohibited and landowners are prohibited from removing bluebells from their land to sell.
Source

Q: Do hummingbirds like Virginia bluebells?
A: Virginia bluebells bloom in mid-spring with loose clusters of flowers that are borne at the ends of 12- to 18-inch arched stems that are frequented by bees, hummingbird moths, butterflies, skippers and hummingbirds.
Source

Q: Do Virginia bluebells attract bees?
A: Adding Virginia bluebells to your garden is a great way to provide nectar to local pollinators in the early spring. Bumblebees are often seen visiting flowers, but are uncommon pollinators since M. virginica flower position requires the bee to hover.
Source

Q: What grows well with Virginia bluebells?
A: Hostas, astilbe, Solomon seal, ferns, sedges and wild ginger are a few options for companion plants. Virginia bluebells make a welcome addition to shady woodland, wildflower, or native plant gardens.
Source

Q: Do deer eat Virginia bluebells?
A: Virginia Bluebells By midsummer, it usually goes dormant (so plant it with a partner such as epimedium or lungwort), but it’s worth it for the weeks of bloom and the fact that deer leave it alone.
Source

Q: What is the number one flower that attracts hummingbirds?
A: Brightly-colored flowers that are tubular tend to produce the most nectar, and are particularly attractive to hummingbirds. These include perennials such as bee balms, columbines, daylilies, and lupines; biennials such as foxgloves and hollyhocks; and many annuals, including cleomes, impatiens, and petunias.
Source

Q: Are Virginia bluebells perennial?
A: A spring ephemeral native to eastern North America, Virginia bluebells are perennials with blue, bell-shape flowers that open above bright green foliage in midspring. Flowering for about three weeks, Virginia bluebells, also called eastern bluebells and Virginia cowslip, bloom at the same time as most flowering bulbs.
Source

Q: Do Virginia bluebells spread quickly?
A: In other areas, Virginia bluebells may be considered invasive. Even in the native range, it is important to be aware of how readily this wildflower self-seeds. It will spread rapidly and form dense clumps and colonies.
Source

Q: Should you cut back Virginia bluebells?
A: Virginia Bluebells: End of Season Care Plants actually go dormant in midsummer after blooming. Foliage will turn yellow—adding an interesting dimension to the early summer garden—and will die back. You can cut back the plants when the foliage has turned completely yellow/brown.
Source

Q: Will Virginia bluebells spread?
A: Once the plants are established, they will reproduce naturally. Mature Virginia bluebell plants can self-seed and spread throughout your garden. However, this can take a long time.
Source

Q: When Should Virginia bluebells be planted?
A: If you plant them in the fall, they will have time to become established before the arrival of winter weather and will flower the following spring. Prepare poor soil by amending the site with compost. Rich loamy soils do not need amending. Transplants may be positioned 10 to 18 inches apart.
Source

Q: Are blue Bell flowers invasive?
A: This plant is considered invasive for the Pacific Northwest as it can spread by underground runners. It easily grows in the shade. Pests: No serious insect or disease problems.
Source

Q: Where do Virginia bluebells grow best?
A: Then Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) are an excellent choice to add to your landscape. Growing in USDA planting zones 3 to 8, these beautiful plants grow best in moist, well-drained, organically rich soils in part to full shade areas.
Source

Q: Where can I see Virginia bluebells?
A: The bluebell, a native species to the Chesapeake Watershed, typically blooms between the last week of March and first two weeks of April, lining the trails of the Bull Run Regional Park in Virginia with tiny trumpet-shaped blossoms.
Source

Q: Are the bluebells out yet 2022?
A: This is usually from mid-April until mid-May but will vary slightly depending on how cold and damp the late winter and early spring has been. The first bluebells are usually seen in the far south of the country and then the blooms will spread north in a fragrant wave.
Source

Q: What month is best for bluebells?
A: Bluebells usually flower from late March to early May, but it does vary from year to year. They are one of the last spring flowers to bloom before the woodland canopy closes up and new leaves block out the sunlight.
Source

Q: Are Virginia bluebells a wildflower?
A: Virginia bluebells are spring ephemeral wildflowers, meaning they grow and bloom in the mid-spring and go dormant by early summer. They’re native to moist woodlands and floodplains at the edges of forests in Eastern North America. They grow from New York west to Minnesota and south from Arkansas to North Carolina.
Source

Q: Do Virginia bluebells have a scent?
A: They hang down in clusters of lavender or blue bell-shaped flowers. These are prettiest on the plant and don’t make good cut flowers. The fragrance is light and sweet.
Source

Q: Do butterflies like Virginia bluebells?
A: Planting Virginia bluebells, for example, is a great way to attract butterflies to your yard. Butterflies are the most common pollinator for the bluebells since they can easily perch and extract the nectar from the trumpet-shaped flowers.
Source

Q: Are Virginia bluebells good for bees?
A: Adding Virginia bluebells to your garden is a great way to provide nectar to local pollinators in the early spring. Bumblebees are often seen visiting flowers, but are uncommon pollinators since M. virginica flower position requires the bee to hover.
Source

About the author

Samuel is a gardening professional and enthusiast who has spent over 20 years advising homeowners and farm owners on weed identification, prevention and removal. He has an undergraduate degree in plant and soil science from Michigan State University.