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bulb

English bluebell

Hyacinthoides non-scripta

Native

Growing guidance

Horticultural figures below are practitioner estimates for planning, pending expert review. The botanical record further down is sourced and verifiable.

Current-climate suitability

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Future-climate resilience

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Sun

Shade

Soil moisture

average, moisture-retentive

Heat tolerance

Up to about 32°C

Cold tolerance

Down to about -25°C

Waterlogging tolerance

3/5

Drought tolerance

2/5

Mature size

0.2–0.4 m tall, 0.15 m spread

Seasonal interest

Mid spring · Deep blue

Maintenance

low

Wildlife supported

General wildlife value 4/5 (verified species relationships are shown only where structured data exists)

Known risks or warnings

Never dig from the wild; all parts are toxic.

Toxicity: notable

Verified botanical record

Accepted scientific name
Hyacinthoides non-scripta (L.) Chouard ex Rothm.
Family
Asparagaceae (Asparagales)
Rank and status
species · accepted
GBIF record
Taxon 5304283

Recorded native range: Belgium, Brussels-Capital Region, Flanders, Flemish Region, Walloon Region

Recorded as introduced in: Austria, British Columbia, Denmark, Falkland Is., Finland, Germany, Indiana, Italy, Kentucky, New York, New Zealand North, New Zealand South and 8 further regions

Ranges are exactly as recorded in the GBIF source checklists and may be incomplete for widely cultivated species.

Hyacinthoides non-scripta (formerly Endymion non-scriptus or Scilla non-scripta) is a bulbous perennial plant found in Atlantic areas from the north-western part of the Iberian Peninsula to the British Isles, and also frequently used as a garden plant. It is known in English as the common bluebell, English bluebell or simply bluebell, a name which is used in Scotland to refer to the harebell, Campanula rotundifolia. In spring, H. non-scripta produces a nodding, one-sided inflorescence of 5–12 tubular, sweet-scented violet–blue flowers, with strongly recurved tepals, and 3–6 long, linear, basal leaves. H. non-scripta is particularly associated with ancient woodland where it may dominate the understory to produce carpets of violet–blue flowers in "bluebell woods", but also occurs in more open habitats in western regions. It is protected under UK law, and in some other parts of its range.

Description from Wikipedia — Hyacinthoides non-scripta (CC BY-SA), shortened and unedited in substance.

Native status and geographic context

  • United Kingdom: native
  • United States: climate-suitable
  • Australia: climate-suitable

Native status is never inferred from climate similarity. Plants restricted or invasive in a jurisdiction are excluded from recommendations there.

Demonstration data. Climate, plant and retailer records shown here are realistic samples awaiting horticultural validation and live data connections.