Plant Rhizome

English bluebell

Hyacinthoides non-scripta

A bulb. A short stem (the basal plate) wrapped in fleshy scales that hold the food store, with the next flower folded inside.

Whole
Cut open
StoreBulb. Cut it in half: you see layers like an onion.
Depth10 cm to the base of the bulb
Spacing10 cm apart
WhenPlant in autumn. Plant: from your first autumn frost to 6 weeks after. Work out your dates.
PetsNot on the ASPCA list: treat as unsafe to chew

About English bluebell

A woodland bulb of the UK. Wild bluebells are legally protected there; buy only from nurseries that propagate them, not from wild-collected stock.

Depth and spacing

Typical range: 10 cm deep and 10 cm apart. A general rule is to plant at two to three times the height of the bulb; check the label for your variety. The drawing is to scale for 10 cm deep and 10 cm apart (the size of the organ is illustrative); try your own measurements.

0 cm2 cm4 cm6 cm8 cm10 cm12 cm14 cm16 cm18 cm10 cm apart10 cm

When to plant

Plant in autumn. Plant: from your first autumn frost to 6 weeks after. These are rules of thumb for the northern hemisphere. Enter your frost dates for real dates.

Dividing and propagating

Lift small clumps in the green after flowering and replant at once; or sow seed fresh.

Lifting and storing

Do not store dry; the bulb is a long, white, brittle one that dries out quickly.

Not on the ASPCA list

The ASPCA plant list has no entry we could match to this plant, so we cannot say it is safe. Keep pets from chewing it and digging up the bulb, and ask your vet if in doubt. Search the ASPCA list.

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