Buy Mertensia virginica

America's favorite wildflower emerges with purplish-green buds which gently unfold into 12" - 24" medium green stems over the following week or two and reveal clusters of pinkish-blue, pendulous flower buds that burst open into the softest, pastel blue flowers. As the flowers age, they ever so slowly and magically turn a subtle shade of light pink.
Please don't let the common name mislead you, "Virginia Bluebells" are native to just about the entire eastern half of the US and Canada and there are 18 different species in the US alone, Mertensia virginica being the most widely cultivated of the lot. These early Spring wildflowers will grow happily just about everywhere in the world.
Mertensia virginica is a member of the Boraginaceae (Borage) family, and shares residence in that family with other popular genera such as Pulmonaria, Omphalodes, Symphytum, Myosotis etc. The genus name Mertensia is in honor of the German botanist Franz Karl Mertens (1764-1831).
Now, while they are still dormant and as soon as your ground thaws is a very good time to plant Mertensia virginica to ensure that you will get a good bloom this Spring. Mertensia virginica is one of our earliest and easiest to grow Spring ephemeral wildflowers. Before going dormant it sets a respectable enough quantity of seeds to assure that you will soon have a colony. It will then fade away and fall back into a deep slumber until next Spring. And, as if Mertensia virginica didn't have enough gold star attributes, it's NOT on Bambi's menu.

Mertensia virginica is an eastern North American woodland ephemeral that graces the shady garden in spring and goes dormant by mid summer - perfect for combining with late-emerging perennials like hosta and ferns or planting under deciduous shrubs. Virginia bluebells grows to about 1-2 feet tall with loose, terminal clusters of pink buds opening to blue, trumpet-shaped, downward-facing flowers. The foliage is lush and green to bluish green. Protect from slugs when emerging.

Virginia Bluebells for moist shade.

Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells) is a woodland favorite and a true harbinger of spring! The distinctive blue-pink flowers appear soon after the snows of winter are gone. Long-lived, it expands slowly to form beautiful clumps that return year after year. Does best in rich, moist soil. Hardy to Zones 4 - 7.

Virginia blue Bells are prized for their display of lovely sky blue flowers in the spring, very beautiful when massed in a shady spot; an easy plant (unlike the western alpine species) that belongs in every garden. Note that the woodlanders marked with an * ship either early to mid march or summer dormant.

Erect plant with smooth grey-green foliage and nodding clusters of pink buds that open into light blue trumpet shaped flowers. 8-24" tall. Blooms May to June. Likes moist woods.