Bluebells – Identification

Q: Can you tell me the name of this? It comes up in the spring and has a bulb that looks like a wild onion.

A: Bluebells are a certain harbinger of spring in many parts of the world. The blue flowers on erect stems are easy to distinguish among the brown leaves of winter. There are English bluebells, Hyacinthoides non-scripta , Spanish bluebells, Hyacinthoides hispanica , and hybrid bluebells, Hyacinthoides x massartiana.

Your’s are hybrid bluebells. Even if it is a hybrid, this bulb produces seed which are distributed by animals and insects. Don’t be surprised to see small clumps popping up in other parts of your garden.

I found an excellent guide to distinguishing bluebells at Identifying Your Bluebells.

Also see Bluebells Pictures

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