This bulbous perennial has erect glossy dark green narrow lance-shaped foliage and forms a clump. It has sweet scented violet blue or white nodding bell-shaped flowers that appear in a raceme on a slender stem above the foliage during spring.

Hardiness zones 4 to 9

Hyacinthoides non-scripta is naturally found in Western Europe from north-west Spain to the Netherlands and extending to the British Isles where it is most prevalent. It has also naturalised in Germany, Italy and Romania and parts of North America. It commonly grows in the understory of deciduous woodland or beneath bracken fern or Japanese knotweed and can self-sow readily under ideal conditions. 

It prefers a semi-shaded  to sunny wind protected position and grows in deep well-drained dry or moist sandy loam to heavy clay soils that are organic rich and are tending acidic with a pH range of 5.5 to 6.5. It is frost, snow and  mildly drought tolerant and deer resist.

Blue Bells are grown for its clumping habit and flowers. It is mass planted in the understory of woodland settings or used in perennial borders in small or cottage gardens. 

It is also planted in pots and tubs or in shaded rockeries and is suitable for the coastal and inland regions, establishing in 2-3 years and is long lived. Bluebells are also cut for floral arrangements and used for bedding displays in parks and large gardens. ID 3551

Hyacinthoides (hy-a-kinth-OI-deez) non-scripta (non-SKRIP-tuh)

'Hyacinthoides': like a hyacinth.

Liliaceae (lil-ee-AY-see-ee)
Lily Family