Spanish Bluebells Welcome Spring — Enchanted Gardens (2024)

FAQs

How do you move Spanish bluebells? ›

Fork out individual plants – where single, or just a few, bluebell shoots appear among clumps of other garden plants, carefully insert a hand fork to its full depth close to the shoot. Work the handle of the fork to loosen the bulb then, grasping the shoot, gently ease it out of the soil.

Spanish bluebells have:

flowers all around the stem. upright stems. no scent. blue- or pale green-coloured pollen inside.

Spanish Bluebell is a bulbous perennial herb that grows up to 1 1⁄2 foot tall and has showy, bell-shaped, lavender-blue flowers.

Plant the Spanish bluebell bulbs about 3-4” deep and 4-6” apart, placing them in the ground with their pointy ends up. Water well once and wait for spring.

Spanish bluebells are an easy-care spring-blooming bulb that does best in full sun (at least six hours of direct sun per day) or part shade.

Dividing & Transplanting: Divide and transplant in the fall when plants are fully dormant. If you divide in the spring you risk disrupting the bloom. Virginia bluebells grow from rhizomes. You can dig up and cut the rhizomes apart, taking care that there is a node on each rhizome.

Hyacinthoides hispanica (syn. Endymion hispanicus or Scilla hispanica), the Spanish bluebell or wood hyacinth, is a spring-flowering bulbous perennial native to the Iberian Peninsula.

In the language of flowers, the bluebell is a symbol of humility, constancy, gratitude and everlasting love. It is said that if you turn a bluebell flower inside-out without tearing it, you will win the one you love, and if you wear a wreath of bluebells you will only be able to speak the truth.

All parts of the bluebell plant contain toxic glycosides that are poisonous to humans, dogs, horses and cattle. If any part of the plant is eaten, it can cause serious stomach upset, and if consumed in large quantities, may be fatal. The bulbs are easily mistaken for spring onions or garlic.

They're easy to grow so you can recreate that amazing woodland bluebell carpet experience in miniature. You'll get a welcome splash of colour in April and May. Nectar-seeking insects like bees will love the early food source. It's a good plant for those tricky shady spots in the garden.

Do deer eat Spanish bluebells? ›

Deer Resistant Bulbs: Alliums and Spanish Bluebells

Spanish bluebells in shades of blue, pink and white are ideal for woodland gardens and shady areas. While deer may not enjoy Spanish Bluebells, pollinating insects love their fragrant bell-shaped flowers.

Also bear in mind that Spanish bluebells are extremely invasive and may outgrow their welcome. Plant dormant bulbs in autumn in partial shade where their invasive tendencies won't harm nearby plants. Deadhead after flowering to avoid seeding.

Bluebells are woodland plants, so they grow best in partial shade with moist but well-drained soil. Adding leaf mould, manure or garden compost to the soil will ensure they have plenty of nutrients. Try planting them in clumps under deciduous trees or shrubs to create a mini-woodland effect.

Spanish bluebell is planted in the fall and typically blooms April to early May.

Sowing bluebell seed is much easier than planting bulbs—seed can be scattered at a rate of 160-500/m² in autumn. Depending on your situation and levels of shade, weed control may be necessary.

Invasiveness: Spanish bluebells can be invasive in some areas as they can reproduce by bulb or by self-seeding.

Allow the foliage to die down naturally after flowering. It is a good idea to remove the faded flower spikes before they set seed to prevent the plants self-seeding and spreading where they aren't wanted. Bluebells are rarely troubled by any pests or diseases.

Wood hyacinths (Hyacinthoides hispanica) are also called Spanish bluebells as they're native to Portugal, Spain, and northwestern Africa. Similar to daffodils, wood hyacinths are planted in the fall. Plant them 3 inches deep and 4 to 6 inches apart in moist, well-drained, organically rich soil.

To enjoy the pretty charm of Spanish Bluebells indoors in winter time, you can fool them into thinking it's winter when it's actually still fall, a process called forcing. There are various forcing methods, but Hyacinthoides will look very pretty when forced using water.