Virginia bluebell

Planted at Mount Vernon

Upper Garden

Hardiness Zones

Average annual extreme minimum temperature 1976-2005

A harbinger of spring, emerging foliage is deep purple but quickly turns green, and is followed by terminal clusters of pendulous, trumpet-shaped blue flowers. Virginia bluebells will rapidly colonize in moist shady areas. They are herbaceous perennials, which means that foliage dies to the ground as the plant goes dormant towards mid-summer.

Latin Name

Mertensia virginica

Family

Boraginaceae

Also Known As

Cowslip

Type of Plant

Perennials

Seasons

Spring

Specifications

Max Height: 2'

Max Spread: 1.5'

Uses

Flower Border

Naturalize

Sunlight Exposure

Full Shade

Part Shade

Colors

Native Range

Eastern North America

History

In 1734, plantsman John Custis of Williamsburg sent some Virginia bluebell rhizomes to his friend Peter Collinson in London.

Other Details

Pollinator

Bartlett Tree Expert Company has been working with Mount Vernon Estate since 2011 providing expert arboricultural care and GPS mapping for the estate’s historic trees, as well as support from their research facility. Mount Vernon is proud to partner with Bartlett Tree Experts and appreciates their sponsorship of George Washington’s Mount Vernon Plant Finder App.

Bring Washington's Garden Home

Purchase our historic seeds, collected from plants grown at Mount Vernon and plant them in your own garden.

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