Eggarton Cottages, Eggarton Lane, Godmersham, Kent, CT4 7DY
Tel/Fax: 01227 7330242
Visit the shop for Wildflowers, Herbs, Cottage Garden Plants, Seeds, Hedging and Wedding Favours
Perennial. Member of the Lily family. Clusters of bell-shaped flowers from April to June. Grows to about 12 ins (30 cm) high. Found in woodlands so looks good planted under trees. Unrelated to those plants in Scotland called Bluebells - these are actually Harebells.
Popular nectar plant for bees, butterflies and hoverflies. Leaves provide food for autumnal and 6-striped rustic moths. Preferred food source for the Brimstone and Pearl Bordered Fritillary butterflies. Pollinated by long-tongued insects, such as bumblebees, and some hoverflies. Honeybees have short tongues and so have to steal the nectar by pushing apart the base of the petals.
Pliny said that Bluebells sprang from the blood of Ajax. Another legend dedicates the plant to Hyacinthus, who was loved by Apollo and Zephyrus, the god of the West wind. Hyacinthus, though (a lad, by the way), loved Apollo more and so Zephyrus killed the lad in jealousy. From his blood sprang Bluebells.
White juices from the stem make a useful glue. During the Middle Ages it was used to stick feathers on to arrows, and during Elizabethan times, it was used for laundry starch and glue.
Bluebell fields can be dangerous as they are full of fairies and concentrated magic. The flowers ring to summon fairies to midnight revelry. Anyone who wears a Bluebell is compelled to tell the truth. If you hear Bluebells ring you will soon die - thus they were known as Deadman's Bells in Scotland.
Plant out in spring. Bluebells grown from seed take a few years to flower.
Always ensure you have bought English and not Spanish Bluebells - Spanish Bluebells are a menace to our native Bluebell and are threatening to overwhelm and wipe out our English Bluebells. If you already have Spanish Bluebells in your garden you may want to consider digging them up and replanting with English ones. How can you tell the difference between the two? English Bluebells have narrow leaves 7 - 15 mm, Spanish leaves are broader at 10 - 35 mm. English flowers are drooping and hang on one-side. The flowers are tubular and the anthers are cream, they also have a sweet scent - Spanish Bluebells have little or no scent.
*This sheet is provided for information only and is in no way a prescription for use. Please seek the advice of a qualified herbalist before using*