Virginia bluebells bring a wash of spring welcome in drifts of blue. The lovely native North American woodland wildflowers have fresh, green foliage and delicate, nodding blue flowers. Their light fragrance sweetens the welcome.
As spring ephemerals, bluebells emerge for only a few weeks of flowering early in the season. They provide nectar and pollen as an early food source for bumblebees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Their graceful form and flowers make the fleeting appearance well worth experiencing. Eye-catching in shady areas, the abundant blooms bring delight and easy care. With consistent moisture, bluebells naturalize happily.
Bluebells are elegant in a mass and among other shade-loving perennials. Here, we’ll explore how to grow these harbingers of spring for dynamic interest in the shade.
Virginia Bluebell Overview
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What are Virginia Bluebells?
Mertensia virginica is an herbaceous perennial with pretty foliage and delicate flower clusters that enliven the shade garden. These low-growing ephemerals form clumps through spreading rhizomes and reseed to create small colonies. Drifts of blue flowers appear in early spring, usually for a few weeks in March through April, depending on the growing area.
Virginia bluebells make lovely groupings in woodland plantings, borders, wildflower and pollinator gardens, naturalistic arrangements, and moist areas. Pair them with ephemerals like Trillium, bloodroot, and bleeding heart for a rich early-season bloom.
Ephemerals flower and set seed in the warming soils and sunlight of spring before the tree canopy leafs out. As conditions become shadier and warmer, plants die back to the ground and enter dormancy. They’ll emerge the following spring with vigor.
Bluebells are stunning in a mass planting among shade-loving perennials like hosta, ferns, astilbe, and Solomon’s seal. Arrange them with Christmas ferns (Polystichum acrostichoides) and woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata) for a native display. The leafy perennials will conceal fading foliage and infill the display as bluebells recede. An underplanting of spring-flowering bulbs like tulips and daffodils creates a colorful show.
M. virginica is low-maintenance and tolerates deep shade, which is a garden location other plants may find challenging. They’re carefree perennials that delight and surprise come spring.
Characteristics
The Virginia natives produce clusters (cymes) of tubular flowers on the ends of stems. Pinky-purple buds open to sky blue, gently nodding trumpets. Some variants hold blooms in pink or white. Each flower is one inch long and delicately fragrant.
The foliage is fresh, blue to gray-green with heavy venation. The smooth leaves emerge deep purple and quickly turn green. They reach two to eight inches long (longer ones at the base) and support the succulent, arching stems.
Virginia bluebells support bumblebees and other long-tongued bees. Skippers, moths, and butterflies visit them for pollen and nectar. Hummingbirds enjoy the early trumpet blossoms when little else is in flower.
After flowering, small nuts emerge that hold four seeds each. In optimal conditions, they’ll drop, scatter, and yield seedlings.
These wildflowers are carefree growers. They resist deer, rabbits, pests, and diseases and tolerate deep shade.
Native Area
The woodland favorites are native to eastern Canada and the central and eastern United States. They grow naturally in moist woods, thickets, and river floodplains. They now occur in more isolated areas due to habitat loss and reduced natural river flooding.
Virginia bluebells grow best in humusy, consistently moist, well-draining zones that mimic areas of floodplain forests and damp woods.
Planting
The loose wildflowers form clumps and reseed to expand the colony. When planting, space plants at least 12 to 18 inches apart to allow room to spread. They reach one and a half feet wide at maturity.
Transplanting
Spring and fall are the best times to plant the ephemerals. It’s possible to move around volunteer seedlings, though it may take a few years for them to flower.
The natives form a long tap root once established and don’t respond well to disturbance. If you need to move a mature plant, do so when it’s dormant.
How to Grow
The unfussy wildflowers require little maintenance. Virginia bluebells simply need consistent moisture, specific light exposure, and proper soil conditions for the best health.
Light
Bluebells grow best in partial (four hours or less sunlight) to deep shade (two hours or less). Their natural settings allow more sunlight in late winter and early spring with an open canopy. They need shady conditions during dormancy.
Water
The ephemerals prefer consistent moisture to thrive. They experience stress during periods of drought or dryness.
Even moisture ensures overall health and vigor, and soil should not dry between waterings during the growing season. Avoid overly wet and soggy conditions, too, as they lead to weakness and disease problems.
Soil
The flowering perennials rely on organically rich, well-draining soils. They’re adaptable to varying pH levels, with neutral to slightly acidic as ideal. Flowers may be deeper blue in soils with more acidity.
Bluebells thrive in fertile, moist soils, mimicking a humusy woodland floor. At planting, add compost from completely broken-down plant material, especially in poor soils like clay and sand. Compost helps with aeration, moisture retention, drainage, and nutrition.
Temperature and Humidity
These cold-hardy perennials overwinter in USDA zones 3-9. They usually awaken in March in mild climates and in April in cooler zones.
They appreciate cool, moist spring seasons for growth and seeding. Seeds need cold and moist stratification to germinate, benefitting from six to eight weeks of winter temperatures before sprouting.
As warmth and humidity rise, foliage begins to decline. Dormancy spans summer, fall, and winter.
Fertilizing
The native growers need nutrient-rich soils without additional fertilizers. They’ll benefit from fresh compost when planting. Top dress with compost in fall or late winter if soils need added nutrition.
Maintenance
In addition to their showy flowers and fresh foliage, a beautiful attribute of bluebells is their lack of maintenance requirements.
Plants don’t need deadheading unless it is to prevent self-seeding. For end-of-season care, if you prefer, clean up brown foliage after leaves completely die back. Leaves turn yellow and brown as plants enter dormancy. Clip them when dry to tidy up, or let other plants obscure the declining foliage.
Propagation
Propagating Virginia bluebells can be challenging. Source them as bare-root nursery stock for fall planting. Seeds (purchased or collected) and division are propagation options.
Growing From Seed
Grow the wildflowers from seed by collecting fresh seeds after flowering. Sow them directly in a prepped garden area, covering them lightly with soil. This exposes the seeds to natural cold stratification with six to eight weeks below 40°F (4°C).
To collect and store seeds for planting the following spring, gather them from stems post-bloom. Place them in a sealable bag filled with moist sand. Refrigerate the bag six to eight weeks before sowing to mirror cold and moisture requirements. Seedlings may take up to two years to flower.
Division
These easy-growers don’t require dividing, and with their long tap roots, don’t respond well to disturbance. However, division is possible to distribute the colony. It may take a year or two for new transplants to bloom.
Divide plants in the fall. Dig the plant, capture the entire taproot, and wash away the soil. Separate rhizomes from the mother plant by pulling them apart or using a spade or serrated blade.
Let the fresh rhizomes dry for a few days before planting them in moist soils. Plant them one inch deep and 12 to 18 inches apart in their new garden spots.
Popular Varieties
There are over 40 varieties of Mertensia. M. virginica is the most prevalent of the native group. Others grow across various conditions and regions with the same lovely and characteristic bell blooms.
Mertensia ciliata
Mountain bluebells are among the tallest and reach four feet. Their bell blooms emerge in early to late summer, and deep pink buds open to pure blue blossoms, fading to pink as they age. Leaves are slightly fuzzy on the surface.
M. ciliata is hardy in zones 3-7. It grows in moist loams but tolerates occasionally hot, dry conditions. The mountain species is native to the western and southwestern U.S., from Oregon to New Mexico.
Mertensia paniculata
Tall bluebells reach as high as five feet tall (more normally three feet). Erect stems produce branched clusters of bright blue blossoms in late spring to mid-summer.
To enjoy a second flush of flowers cut off spent blooms. Fruits ripen in late summer and early fall, and plants become dormant shortly after flowering.
M. paniculata tolerates sun to partial shade. Its native range is from Alaska to Quebec and south to Wisconsin and Oregon.
Mertensia alpina
Alpine bluebells originate in the Rocky Mountains. They grow on stony slopes in alpine regions from Montana to New Mexico.
M. alpina reaches 12 to 18 inches tall in full sun to partial shade. Its summertime flowers are shades of pale to deep blue in loose clusters above downy leaves.
Common Problems
Bluebells are free of most pests and diseases. They may occasionally experience slugs, snails, rot, and powdery mildew. The best control is prevention through maintaining optimal cultural requirements.
Pests
You’ll likely see slugs and snails or notice their nibble damage to fresh growth. Though they’re unwelcome visitors, they generally don’t do severe damage. An easy control is to hand-pick them off plants. Manually pick off the pests in the morning to reduce damage or at dusk when they’re most active.
Set beer or soda traps—dishes of beer or cola—to entice the slugs for a swim. Place the dish at the soil level for easy slug access.
Diseases
Common fungal diseases are seldom issues for these herbaceous flowers but may occur in overly wet or humid conditions. Provide good air circulation and proper watering to promote overall health.
Powdery mildew is a common fungal disease indicated by a gray-white powdery substance on leaves, stems, and buds. Leaves may distort and drop.
Botrytis root rot is a fungal disease especially prevalent in high-humidity conditions with limited air circulation. Brown spots and “fluffy mold” are indicators. Take care not to overwater or overfertilize, which weakens the plant.
Phytophthora is another fungal root rot that causes a slow decline. It impacts feeder roots, preventing them from uptaking water and nutrients. The best control is proper cultural management, especially not overwatering.
If leaves show signs of disease, cut off and destroy affected parts and any dropped leaves. Horticultural oils like neem treat fungal diseases early on, but these impact beneficial insects, so follow application requirements. Fortunately, bluebells are rarely bothered!
Frequently Asked Questions
North American native Virginia bluebells are the most popular species of over 40 in the Mertensia genus. Mertensias are distinguished by habitat and growing conditions. While the lavender-blue bell flowers appear similar, they’re different genera from English and Spanish bluebells (Hyacinthoides), native to Europe.
The flowering perennials spread readily in optimal conditions but are not invasive. They expand through rhizomes and seeds to form clumping colonies. The natural drifts appear in spring and are dormant in summer, winter, and fall. They don’t outcompete other plants. While gorgeous in a mass, if you want to control reseeding, deadhead spent flowers to avoid seed drop.
Cutting back spent foliage is up to the gardener’s preference. When bluebells enter dormancy in late spring, their leaves turn yellow and dry to brown. To tidy the look, cut off old foliage. Otherwise, let it naturally decay as other leafy perennials conceal the decline and infill beds.
