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Bluebells
Supernoodle
Posts: 954
in Plants
I've been intending to get some bluebells for my woodlandy area and like magic a single bluebell has appeared elsewhere in my garden.
Firstly, how do I be sure it's an English bluebell? I don't what to encourage it if not.
Secondly, how best to try to develop it? I need to move it as am about to put a path where it is. So I'm going to get it into a pot. What next?
thanks!
0
Posts
I'm not an expert, but English bluebell is (I think) rather delicate looking, with all the flowers hanging on one side of the stem; also it has thinner leaves.
Spanish is chunkier, flowers on more than one side, and fatter leaves.
But most bluebells are hybrids - I think these days you are quite lucky if you have pure English ones (unless you live near old woodland).
The first one is an English Bluebell the second is a Spanish one for me there is very little difference except the colour of the English is a lot bluer and maybe the bells on the English might be a bit larger as well
This link by the Natural History museum may help.
It shows the 3 main contenders.
English blue bell...... Hyacintha non scripta...
Spanish bluebell ....Hyacinthoides hispanica
and a cross between the two...Hyacinthoides x massartiana.
The colour of the pollen will help you to decide.
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/british-natural-history/survey-bluebells/bluebell-identification/index.html
Oooh, thanks guys. I'll do some inspection in the morning. Although given your comments I think it might go buy some true Englishbluebells.
Ta!