Are you looking to plant English bluebells in your garden? These European natives are some of the easiest bulbs to grow – a prime example of a ‘plant it and forget it’ flower.If you’re looking to recreate the calming, natural woodland feel in your own garden, you can’t go wrong planting bluebells. These stunning blue bulbs transform European forest floors into seas of blue throughout spring and will make just as much of an impact in pots or your flower beds.
Botanically named Hyacinthoides non-scripta, this bulb is usually known as the English bluebell, common bluebell, or wild hyacinth. These woodland plants are not to be confused with Hyacinthoides hispanica or Spanish bluebells, a different species of Hyacinthoides.
Their ease of growth and tolerance of shade makes them ideal plants for many gardeners, especially beginners. Choose one, mix them with other popular bulbs, or plant an entire field – the options are endless. Although known today as Hyacinthoides non-scripta, bluebells have had many different names in the past.
These bulbs, native to western Europe, were dubbed Hyacinthus non-scriptus by the founder of binomial scientific naming, Carl Linnaeus. This genus is commonly known as hyacinths – an incredibly popular garden bulb.
50 years later, two German scientists changed the genus to Scilla, another bulb genus found across woodlands in Europe. Unfortunately, the scientific uncertainty didn’t stop there. Another 50 years later, a different German scientist transferred the plant to the Endymion genus. That’s why you may still find this plant under the names Endymion non-scriptus or Scilla non-scripta today.
In 1934, French botanist Pierre Chouard changed the label to Hyacinthoides – literally meaning ‘like a hyacinth’ – where it remains today.
Most wild bluebells are found across the United Kingdom and hold a rich history in this area. Several folklore stories have been passed down for generations, such as the belief that bluebell woodlands are inhabited by fairies. This also gave them the nickname fairy flowers.
These folklore fairies are not known to play nice. According to legends, bluebells ring to call the fairies. If a human hears this bell, they will be visited by fairies and face an untimely death. Similarly, children with a desire to pick bluebells are warned that if they do, they will likely disappear, never to be seen again.
Apart from these dark and twisted warnings, bluebells are beloved across the UK and in Europe – somewhat of an unofficial national flower. Walking through bluebell fields is a wonderful pastime. But, beware not to disturb the fairies, or face the consequences. While used as garden plants often, most bluebells are found in the wild. More than half of these wild bluebells can be found in woodlands around England. While their origin story is somewhat unclear, people believe these bluebell woodlands started springing up following the end of the last ice age.
Due to their age – some are known to be hundreds of years old – these spaces are usually protected to prevent their decline. In some areas, these bulbs are considered endangered in their natural habitats. As a result, it is illegal to remove bluebell bulbs from the wild and plant them in your own garden or sell them off, according to the Wildlife and Countryside Act of the United Kingdom.
While part of the same genus, English bluebells and Spanish bluebells are not the same plant. This distinction is important, as Spanish bluebells tend to be more invasive in some regions than their English counterparts.
Both plants look quite similar but can be easily distinguished in spring by their flower type. English bluebell flowers are darker and curl over whereas Spanish bluebell flowers are lighter and remain upright. English bluebells are also slightly shorter than Spanish ones.
It’s important to keep these two plants away from each other, or they will hybridize to form Hyacinthoides × massartiana. There are two ways to propagate bluebells: by sowing seeds or dividing bulbs. Propagating from seeds is the simplest method and provides the most natural look in the garden. Dividing is slightly more technical but produces quicker results.