Mertensia virginica

SUMMARY
Virginia Bluebells are an attractive early spring ephemeral that enjoy part to full shade and thrive in woodland soil. They light up the forest floor before the leaves have unfurled on the trees. Pink buds open to pendulous, trumpet-shaped blossoms. It’s a lovely sky blue that is not commonly found in wildflowers. Over time, these clump-forming natives can form beautiful colonies that bring a splash of color to shady areas, especially if the soil is rich and moist. As they often go completely dormant and disappear in summer, it can be beneficial to overplant them with annuals, shade-tolerant perennials, or ferns that will take their place for the rest of the growing season. Want some inspiration? Check out Carolyn’s Shade Gardens!
DETAILS
Other Common Names: Virginia Cowslip, Roanoke Bells, Lungwort Oysterleaf
Family: Boraginaceae
USDA Zones: 3 – 8
Life Cycle: Herbaceous Perennial
Height: 1.50′ – 2.00′
Spread: 1.00′ – 1.50′
Sun: Part Sun – Full Shade
Soil: Rich Loam, Clay
Moisture: Medium-Wet, Medium
Bloom Time: March – May
Bloom Color: Blue (may have white, pink, or lavender variations)
Uses: Naturalize, Shade Garden, Woodland Garden
Native Range: BONAP Map

NOTEWORTHY CHARACTERISTICS
- Clump-forming perennial that spreads through rhizomes and seeds
- Can form large colonies over time
- Emerges very early in the year, often before there are leaves on the trees
- A spring ephemeral; foliage dies to the ground by mid-summer
- Flower buds are pink; blossoms transition to blue
- Early food source for bees and butterflies
- Seeds can be collected in late spring/early summer and are best sown fresh
- Slow to grow from seeds, several months of cold are necessary to break dormancy
- Deer and rabbit resistant
- Black Walnut juglone tolerant
FAUNAL ASSOCIATIONS
- Nectar/Pollen for bees: Bumblebees, Halictid Bees, Honeybees, Mason Bees, Anthophorid Bees
- Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds in some areas
- Visited by the Giant Bee Fly (Bombylius major), Syrphid Flies
- Skippers, Butterflies, and Sphinx moths including a hummingbird moth Hemaris thysbe
- Colonies can provide cover for small wildlife species
PESTS/DISEASES
Relatively disease and pest free.
A CLOSER LOOK


Pink Variation Typical Blue coloration Pink and Blue Variation

COMPANION PLANTS
In order to provide the maximum benefit to pollinators, it is best to plan for a succession of blooms. This ensures that as one species fades, another begins to blossom. In this way, a constant source of nectar and pollen is provided from spring through fall. The following natives enjoy similar growing conditions to Mertensia virginica:
White Turtlehead Northern Spicebush Jewelweed Red Columbine Woodland Stonecrop Golden Alexander Woodland Strawberries Jack in the Pulpit Blue Cohosh Great Waterleaf Mayapple Wood Poppy
- White Turtlehead – Chelone glabra
- Northern Spicebush – Lindera benzoin
- Jewelweed – Impatiens capensis
- Red Columbine – Aquilegia canadensis
- Woodland Stonecrop – Sedum ternatum
- Golden Alexander – Zizia aurea
- Alpine (Woodland) Strawberry – Fragaria vesca
- Jack-in-the-Pulpit – Arisaema triphyllum
- Blue Cohosh – Caulophyllum thalictroides
- Great Waterleaf – Hydrophyllum appendiculatum
- Mayapple – Podphyllum peltatum
- Wood Poppy – Stylophorum diphyllum