Mt Cuba Center
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Carex barrattii
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Mt. Cuba Center evaluates native plants and related cultivars for horticultural and ecological value.

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Mt. Cuba conserves and stewards more than 1,000 acres including meadows, forests, streams and riparian corridors.

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Mertensia virginica

Native Plants

Virginia Bluebells

3 Photos


Summary

A sure sign of spring’s impending arrival is the masses of bright blue flowers of Virginia bluebells borne above its fresh green foliage. This herbaceous perennial wildflower happily seeds itself in the garden, quickly forming large drifts. Virginia bluebells grow 18″ tall and thrives in moist well-drained soils that are slightly acidic to neutral. They prefer bright sun in early spring followed by shade later as the forest canopy expands. By summer, Virginia bluebells die back to the ground allowing other perennials to extend the gardening season. Plant them with Polystichum acrostichoides, Stylophorum diphyllum, Phlox divaricata and other woodland wildflowers.


More Details

  • Plant Type
    perennial 
  • Sun/Shade Conditions
    filtered-shade, full-sun 
  • Foliage Character
    deciduous 
  • Soil Moisture
    average, moist, wet 
  • Flowering Period
    early-spring, mid-spring
  • Soil PH
    adaptable 
  • Flower Color
    blue 
  • Summer Foliage Color
    blue-green 
  • Fall Foliage Color
    dormant 
  • Fruit/Seed Color
    green 

Additional Information

USDA Plants Database, Illinois Wildflowers