Hyacinthoides (Bluebells)
Hyacinthoides (Bluebells): Another great perennial flower that is a must have in the border.
| Hyacinthoides | Bulb |
|---|---|
| Bloom Time | Early Spring |
| Light | Sun to Part Shade |
| Water | Moist Soil, Well Drained |
| Diseases | Blight, mosaic, rot |
| Pests | Aphids |
| Propagation | Seed, Separate Bulbs |
| Color | Blue, White, Pink |
| Zones | 4 - 9 |
| Soil pH | 5.5 - 6.5 |
| Tolerates | Deer |
Hyacinthoides (Bluebells)
This easy-care early spring bulb gives us some of our first spring color. Two species are hispanica, the Spanish Bluebell and non-scriptus, the English Bluebell or Wood Hyacinth.
The Spanish Bluebell is very prolific and sends out offsets, you will soon have a border full of these beautiful little plants.
The clusters of bell-shaped, blue, white, or pink blooms beautify a wildflower garden or shrub border.
Bluebells also tolerates heat very will so they can be planted in a small area, like between the garage and house that heats up during the warm spring days.
They have strap shaped , shiny green leaves with shoots of pendant flowers that can range in height of 8" to as much as 24".
A popular option with this bulb is naturalizing them. Simply gather a bucketful of the little bulbs and cast them into the landscape and plant them wherever they fall.
Bluebells are very easy to Propagate. After the bloom is complete in the spring and the foliage has withered a bit, dig up the bulbs and separate.
Replant as needed or gather in a bucket and naturalize them by casting the bulbs and planting where they land.
Also, Hyacinthoides can be planted by seed in the spring.
Hyacinthoides (Bluebells)
Hyacinthoides prefer sand to a sandy loam soil conditions. They will not survive in clay soil.
Light is listed as dappled sunlight, which would be the natural sunlight from the forest shade trees just beginning their leaf development in the spring.
Hyacinthoides (Bluebells)
-
Hyacinthoides hispanica 'Spanish Bluebells': Tiny blue flowers are shaped like a broad bell with a flared rim. About 12-15 flowers hang from each sturdy, round stalk and are surrounded by graceful, strap like foliage.
-
Hyacinthoides non-scripta 'English Bluebells': Lightly scented blue pendant flowers with a unique bell shape. Great in woodland and rock gardens, borders or as companion plants for daffodils and tulips. ~ 1594.
-
Hyacinthoides hispanica 'Excelsior Spanish Bluebell': Bulbous perennial with straight, shiny, dark green leaves. Racemes of bell-shaped, blue to violet striped flowers bloom in spring. To prevent self-seeding, remove spent flowers.
-
Hyacinthoides hispanica 'Rosabella Spanish Bluebells': Bulbous perennial with straight, shiny, dark green leaves. Racemes of pinkish violet flowers bloom in spring. Remove spent flowers to prevent self-seeding.
-
Hyacinthoides hispanica 'La Grandesse Spanish Bluebell': Bulbous perennial with large, shiny, dark green leaves. Racemes of bell-shaped, nodding, white flowers bloom in spring. Remove spent flowers to prevent self-seeding.
Hyacinthoides (Bluebells)
Water-soluble, quick release fertilizers. Water soluble fertilizers are generally used every two weeks during the growing season or per label instructions
Temperature controlled slow-release fertilizers. Controlled, slow-release fertilizers are worked into the soil usually only once during the growing season or per label directions.
Organic fertilizers such as fish emulsion. For organic fertilizers such as fish emulsion, follow label directions as they may vary per product.
Our preference here at Green Living Made Easy, is of course the Organic Fertilization method. We use either Fish Emulsion or Organic Bone Meal.
Plant bulbs at a depth that is three times their height, and at least 1-1/2 bulb-widths apart.
Once the hole has been dug, work a handful of Bone Meal into the bottom of the hole and then place the bulb in the hole, upright (roots pointing downward).
If you can't detect were the roots are, an easy clue is the pointed more more pointed area is the top of the bulb. If you are still in doubt, just plant them sideways.
Fill in the hole or trench gently and make sure there are not any stones or rocks in the fill. Sort them out if there are. The soil should be free of clumps or clods that would impede growth of the bulb.
Planting bulbs in formal rows hardly ever look good and certainly does not look natural. It looks best to plant the bulbs in natural drifts, as you would see them in the woodlands.
If you have trouble with gophers or squirrels eating your bulbs, try sprinkling red pepper in the holes, covering the bulbs with chicken-wire, surround bulbs with sharp shards of gravel or other substance, or planting rodent-repelling bulbs like Fritillaria nearby.
