Pretty Wild
Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)
Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)
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Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)
Bluebells are one of the spring ephemerals we daydream about the most during snow-covered winters. Their return in spring is quite spectacular, clusters of trumpet-shaped blooms in rich shades of periwinkle, soft sky blue, and cool lavender that shift subtly to pink as they age, creating a dreamy, watercolor-like effect across the patch. While many early woodland plants are delicate or fleeting, Virginia Bluebells have real presence and fill in quickly. They want sun in spring while blooming, and shade in summer when they go dormant—making them a perfect choice beneath deciduous trees or in part-shade woodland gardens. We love pairing them with sedges, ostrich ferns, wild geranium, for a layered, seasonal display that hides the fading bluebell foliage.
Growing Conditions
Light: Part shade; full sun in spring before canopy fills in
Soil: Rich, moist loam; prefers well-drained woodland soil
Height: 1–2 feet
Spread: 1–2 feet and slowly spreading by seed
Zones: 3–8
Bloom time: April through May
Wildlife Value
Virginia Bluebells are an important early nectar source for long-tongued bees, including bumblebees and miner bees, as well as early butterflies like mourning cloaks. Hummingbirds may also stop by as they return north. These early blooms are a key part of the spring food web for pollinators awakening with the season.
Blooms Alongside: bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), wild ginger (Asarum canadense), trout lily (Erythronium americanum), Jacob’s ladder (Polemonium reptans), woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata), ferns (especially ostrich fern Matteuccia struthiopteris)


