Mertensia, Virginia Bluebells 'Minnesota Native'

Virginia Bluebells | Mertensia virginica

Height:  18 inches

Spread:  18 inches

Sunlight: Partial Shade to Full Shade

Hardiness Zone:  2a

Brand:  Gertens

Description:

A lovely underrated native woodland flower. Trumpet shaped periwinkle blue blossoms open in early spring. Clump forming, likes it's shade moist, may go dormant in the dry heat of the summer

Ornamental Features

Virginia Bluebells features dainty nodding blue bell-shaped flowers at the ends of the stems from mid to late spring, which emerge from distinctive fuchsia flower buds. Its attractive pointy leaves remain bluish-green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Virginia Bluebells is an herbaceous perennial with a mounded form. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Virginia Bluebells is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens

Planting & Growing

Virginia Bluebells will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 18 inches. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen! As this plant tends to go dormant in summer, it is best interplanted with late-season bloomers to hide the dying foliage.

This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is native to parts of North America. It can be propagated by division.