Add woodland beauty to your garden with Virginia bluebells. 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. Pair Virginia bluebells with bright yellow daffodils, for a classic spring color combination that is sure to kick off the gardening season with gusto.
Virginia Bluebells Overview
Where to Plant Virginia Bluebells
Virginia bluebells grow best in part shade and moist soil. Their native habitat is moist woodland areas. Grow Virginia bluebells alongside other spring bulbs. Bluebells' soft, herbaceous foliage is a great texture complement to the rigid and straplike foliage of many bulbs. Virginia bluebells self-seed. Expect them to pop up between clumps of spring bulbs, creating a casual cottage garden style over time.
At the beginning of summer, Virginia bluebells recede into the soil. Their foliage slowly dies back and an empty space extends where the cheerful purple blossoms once stood. Plan for bluebells' early retirement, and your garden color show will hardly miss a beat. Grow bluebells among hosta, astilbe, and other shade-lovers that take over the show after bluebells fade, unfurling bold leaves and colorful flowers.
How and When to Plant Virginia Bluebells
Plant Virginia bluebells 10 to 18 inches apart in fall or after the last frost in spring. Enrich the soil with well-decomposed compost prior to planting. Cover the soil around plants with a 2-inch-thick layer of shredded mulch or compost, and water plants regularly during the first year after planting.
Special note: This North American native is considered threatened in its native range. Never dig up Virginia bluebells from the wild and transplant them to your landscape. By removing plants from a native area, you are contributing to its habitat destruction. Instead, purchase transplants at a reputable garden center, or dig and divide a Virginia bluebell planting from a friend's cultivated landscape.
Virginia Bluebells Care Tips
Light
Virginia bluebells prefer partial to full shade and are happiest in the dappled shade found beneath a tree canopy. They can tolerate morning sun but will need to be watered more often.
Soil and Water
Virginia bluebells grow best in moist, well-drained soil rich with organic matter and a neutral pH.
This woodland plant thrives in a moist (not soggy) environment so water it regularly in the absence of rainfall. Maintaining a steady watering cadence is especially important in establishing new plants.
Temperature and Humidity
As a native ephemeral of the woodlands in eastern and central United States and Canada, Virginia bluebells excels in a cool temperatures and moist surroundings. The plants will fade as temperatures begin to warm up in midsummer. They overwinter well without special attention in cold climates down to Zone 3, but will benefit from a layer of mulch.
Fertilizer
To promote flowering and moisture retention, work a thick layer of compost (2-4 inches) or a balanced fertilizer into the soil a week or two after planting Virginia bluebells.When using commercial fertilizers, follow product label instructions for the amount and application process.
Pruning
Virginia bluebells will fade with the arrival of warm temperatures each summer so pruning or deadheading is not necessary. If you want to prevent self-seeding, however, you should deadhead the blooms as soon as they wilt.
Potting and Repotting Virginia Bluebells
You can grow Virginia bluebells in pots but, as an ephemeral that declines after spring, it's better enjoyed in a border setting. If you do want to grow it in a container, opt for a pot with good drainage and use a potting mix that retains moisture well. Site the container in a shady spot out of drying winds.
Repot the plant in a container one size larger with fresh potting mix when the pot becomes crowded.
Pests and Problems
Virginia bluebells are relatively pest- and disease-free plants but they may provide a meal to hungry snails or slugs.
How to Propagate Virginia Bluebells
Virginia bluebells can be propagated via seeds or division. Here's how to do it:
By division: Carefully dig up the plant, ensuring that you dig deeply to get the long taproot. Cut the rhizome into pieces—each piece should have roots attached. Allow the pieces to dry for a few days and form calluses over the cut ends. Plant the rhizome pieces 1 inch deep into moist, compost-enriched soil. Space pieces at least 12 inches apart. Water deeply and regularly until established.
By seed: Outside in the fall, you can scatter seeds on a lightly raked and moistened garden bed. Virginia bluebell seeds need both a cold and moist period before germination can occur, so if sowing in the spring, seeds must be stratified. To do this, place seeds in a zip-top bag filled with moistened sand. Place the bag in the refrigerator for six weeks. In early spring, scatter stratified seeds in a lightly raked garden bed. To grow indoors, about six to eight weeks before the last average frost date in your region, sow the stratified seeds in pots or flats filled with moistened potting mix and cover with a light layer of soil. Place in bright, indirect light and keep soil moist. After seeds germinate, grow to a sturdy size and plant the seedlings outside—once mature, Virginia bluebells don't like to have their roots disturbed.
Virginia Bluebells Companion Plants
Plant Virginia bluebells among spring-blooming bulbs that will reach their flowering potential before trees leaf out in late spring. Interplant with other shade-loving perennials such as hosta, astilbe, bugbane, Solomon's seal, and ferns. These perennials are just beginning to poke out of the ground when bluebells are ringing in spring and will fill in the spaces when Virginia bluebells fade.
Add these early flowering bulbs and plants with your Virginia Bluebells for spring floral bounty.
Violets
Perhaps the most familiar—and beloved—of all wildflowers, violets (Viola spp.) dot forests and fields with tiny blossoms and heart-shaped foliage. The violet family includes species featuring blue, yellow, and white flowers. Zones 2-11
Daffodil
One of the most recognizable bulbs, the daffodil is also among the easiest to grow. Most gardeners know the cheery golden-flowering types, but keep an eye out for extra-special varieties that offer blooms in shades of orange, pink, red, and white, like these ‘Romance’ daffodils. Almost all pests will leave this bulb alone. Zones 4-8
Hyacinth
With its large flower spikes and sweet fragrance, a hyacinth is one of the most eye-catching spring bulbs you can plant. Its strong scent seems to be what makes it unappealing to deer and rabbits. In addition, the bulbs themselves are toxic to squirrels and other bulb diners, so they’ll avoid digging them up. The flowers come in a variety of colors from blue, pink, and purples to yellow, cream, and white. Zones 4-8
Dutchman's Breeches
Distinctive blooms which resemble white trousers make dutchman's-breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) easy to recognize. This spring flower needs a constantly moist, but well-drained, soil to thrive. Zones 3-9
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are Virginia bluebells invasive?These plants are not invasive but in the right conditions they will self-seed prolifically. If you don’t want them to spread, deadhead the flowers before they set and drop seed.
These plants are not invasive but in the right conditions they will self-seed prolifically. If you don’t want them to spread, deadhead the flowers before they set and drop seed.
- Do Virginia bluebells attract wildlife?Virginia bluebells are favorite spring flowers for many species of pollinators such as bumblebees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and hummingbird moths. They are resistant to deer and rabbits.
Virginia bluebells are favorite spring flowers for many species of pollinators such as bumblebees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and hummingbird moths. They are resistant to deer and rabbits.
- How long do Virginia bluebells live?As a spring ephemeral, it may seem like Virginia bluebells have a short lifespan. In fact, the plants go dormant in hot weather but return faithfully every spring. Individual plants may live about five years but they self-seed so effectively that, once planted, you are nearly guaranteed to have Virginia bluebells growing in your garden.
As a spring ephemeral, it may seem like Virginia bluebells have a short lifespan. In fact, the plants go dormant in hot weather but return faithfully every spring. Individual plants may live about five years but they self-seed so effectively that, once planted, you are nearly guaranteed to have Virginia bluebells growing in your garden.