Once you’ve given these spring blooms a happy home, they can take care of themselves. The package that you buy at the store may well be labeled Scilla campanulata -- yet another botanical name for the plant. The concerns about the plants are worth considering, even as the flowers are admired. Native to the eastern U.S., this beautiful woodland ephemeral is a most welcome harbinger of spring. Bluebells guide: when do they flower, how to identify and best bluebell walks in the UK. You can take the dead flower heads off though if you like. You’ll get the best results from planting bluebells in the green but it’s also possible to grow bluebells from seed. Growing Virginia bluebells in their native range is a great way to add pretty spring and early summer color. Bluebells are the perfect choice for growing Yes, they make beautiful cut flowers on their own or as part of an arrangement. It is a positive if you would like the plants to settle into an area of your landscape and spread. The colorful spring blossoms of Spanish bluebell plants (Hyacinthoides hispanica) make them a favorite for home gardens. Spanish bluebell is best grown in full sun in cooler climates. Bluebells seeds require stratification, or a period of cold, somewhat moist weather in order to germinate. However, this attribute is deemed negative in the United Kingdom, where those interested in native plants have observed that Spanish bluebell is an invasive plant and is crossing with Hyacinthoides non-scripta, creating a hybrid that dilutes the native stock. Spanish bluebells can also hybridise with the native form so are best controlled in gardens close to woodlands where the English bluebell is growing. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, The Spruce Gardening & Plant Care Review Board, The Spruce Renovations and Repair Review Board. The flowers are fragrant and make a wonderful addition to any cut bouquet. Virginia bluebells self-seed. So there are my tips for growing Bluebell flowers. But older names persist, including Scilla hispanica; they were also formerly placed in the Endymion genus. This plant also works well as garden edging. Virginia Bluebells thrive in damp, well-drained soil. We look at how to control Bluebells using a combination of weed killer, smothering and digging. 22 Tukorako Drive (off Hull Road), Mount Maunganui, Tauranga. But there are easy ways to tell the two apart: The floral stalk of the common bluebell bends down when the plant is in bloom, thus displaying the flowers under a natural arch. A third identifying trait for those who like to use their noses is that common bluebell's flowers are more fragrant. Spanish bluebell flowers can be cut and brought indoors without injuring the plant. When the perennials come into bloom, the bluebells will disappear until next year. Virginia Bluebells Growing Conditions Plant Virginia Bluebells in moist, rich loamy soil with partial sun for the best growing results. They seed down and naturalize easily and look beautiful in informal drifts among tall shrubs, under deciduous trees and among perennials. Allow the leaves to die back on their own. The Best Time to Plant Bluebells. You may be wondering why we place the very pretty spring flowering Bluebells in the ‘Weed category’. English bluebells are native to France and England and have been gracing gardens and wooded areas since the early 1500’s. 7 to 16 inches tall (including the floral stalk), with a spread slightly less than that, Well-drained soil of average fertility and kept evenly moist, shades of blue and lavender; white or pink types are also available, How to Grow and Care for Allium (Ornamental Onion), 18 Yellow-Flowering Plants for Your Garden, 14 Best Landscape Plants With Purple Flowers. Cart: 0 items $0 | Customer Login | Register. There are currently no items in your shopping cart. Spanish bluebells are similar in many ways to English bluebells apart from the fact that they bloom in more open areas. The sturdy flower stems are 30-40cm tall and look great in a vase. One weed problem that takes time to solve is removing Bluebells from the garden. Spanish bluebells are native to cool, shady, damp, well-drained woodlands. Don’t cut them any earlier, since the plant needs to drain its leaves from all their nutrients to prepare for the following blooming cycle. While both of the others have blade-shaped leaves, the Virginia type has oval leaves. Replied May 13, 2015, 10:43 AM EDT Now, do you know why my bluebells come up every year a manky sort of pink? David Beaulieu is a garden writer with nearly 20 years experience writing about landscaping and over 10 years experience working in nurseries. Plant Spanish bluebell in fall to get blooms the following spring. The bulbs are great for containers and are excellent for cutting. Early spring bulbs look fantastic naturalized in grassy areas, but as pretty as they are, this planting method isn’t for everyone. Common bluebell's blooms line up on one side of the floral stalk. You will enjoy regular 'Grab a Plant' Specials, special bonus codes, gardening advice and more. Their native habitat is moist woodland … Learn more in this article. Botanists now want us to call Spanish bluebell Hyacinthoides hispanica. Moreover, its flowers emerge from multiple sides of the stalk. Propagation is possible but challenging. Type Flowering blub Lifespan Perennial Growing Zones 5-7 Light Shade lover … One big debate is the problem with foreign Bluebells which are being planted in amongst British ones and diluting the effect. If you leave them a bit longer the leaves will have time to fatten up the bulbs for next year. in lightly shaded rock gardens, under trees or amongst garden borders. This spring-flowering bulb also comes in white, deep-lavender, and pink cultivars; for example: The plant known as "common bluebell" (Hyacinthoides non-scripta, also called "English bluebell") bears flowers and leaves that look like those on the Spanish bluebell plant. Many have problems with planting under trees. Besides its raw beauty, many gardeners value it for the fact that it's a late-blooming spring bulb. Virginia bluebells will re-seed throughout the garden, and you can grow them from seed at home, but it can be a difficult process. Some gardeners grow theirs in a little patch of lawn where they are encouraging spring-flowering bulbs to naturalize. If there are still water puddles 5-6 hours after a hard rain, scout out another site. Their native range is a most welcome harbinger of spring moisture and shady conditions Virginia! Meanwhile, Virginia bluebells in the garden bluebells prefer a rich well-drained.! 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