woodland wildflower
Virginia bluebells
Mertensia virginica
1 of 3Native to much of the USA and southern Canada
New York and southern Ontario to eastern Minnesota, south to North Carolina, Arkansas and eastern Kansas; naturalized northeastward
- Light Part shade to shade Sun tolerance
- Moisture Moist Moisture preference
- Zones 4–8 Cold to heat range
- Bloom Mar–Jun Flowering time
- Height up to 2 ft to 0.6 m
- Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial
In the garden
A woodland wildflower for part to full shade and evenly moist soil. At up to 2 ft, it suits shade gardens and woodland edges. Hardy in USDA zones 4–8.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun Partial shade Full shade
Moisture
Dry Moist Wet
Hardiness zones
Find your zone:
Pollinators & wildlife
- Bees Common Eastern Bumble Bee
also Western Honey Bee, Eastern Carpenter Bee, Brown-belted Bumble Bee +36 more
Two-spotted Bumble Bee, American Bumble Bee, Bombus fervidus, Red-belted Bumble Bee, Perplexing Bumble Bee, Black-and-gold Bumble Bee, Half-black Bumble Bee, Colletes inaequalis, Golden Sweat Bee, Rusty-patched Bumble Bee, Blue Orchard Bee, Carlin's Mining Bee, Bufflehead Mason Bee, Asian Shaggy Digger Bee, Say's Cuckoo Leafcutter Bee, Deep-blue Sweat Bee, Cherry Mining Bee, Ceratina dupla, Anthophora ursina, Experienced Sweat Bee, Osmia pumila, Maine Blueberry Bee, Cresson's Nomad Bee, Black-tailed Long-horned Bee, Eastern Scaly Miner Bee, white-winged sweat bee, Colletes productus, Coelioxys brevis, Coelioxys alternata, Andrena illini, Eucera belfragei, Bittercress Cuckoo Nomad Bee, Blueberry Digger Bee, Xylocopa virginica virginica, Eucera dubitata, Tetragona dissecta - Butterflies Monarch
also Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Red Admiral, Painted Lady +4 more
Pipevine Swallowtail, Spicebush Swallowtail, Protographium marcellus, Anosia plexippus - Flower flies Greater Bee Fly
also Black-shouldered Drone Fly, American Snout Fly, Band-winged Bee Fly +2 more
Black Spur Fly, Epistrophe emarginata - Also visited by
- Moths:
White-lined Sphinx, Snowberry Clearwing +3 more
Hummingbird Clearwing, Curved-toothed Geometer Moth, Nessus Sphinx - Hummingbirds: Ruby-throated Hummingbird
- Beetles: Onthophagus pennsylvanicus, Mordellistena aspersa
- Wasps: Fraternal Potter Wasp
- Moths:
Butterflies that use this plant
Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.
- American snoutnectar
- Eastern tiger swallowtailnectar
- Monarch butterflynectar
- Painted ladynectar
- Pipevine swallowtailnectar
- Red admiralnectar
- Spicebush swallowtailnectar
- Zebra swallowtailnectar
Full plant details
Where it grows
- Habitat
- WoodlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
- Native range
- Much of the USA and southern CanadaUnited States (21): AR, DC, DE, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MI, MN, MO, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, WI, WV. Canada (1): ON. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
- Native distribution
- New York and southern Ontario to eastern Minnesota, south to North Carolina, Arkansas and eastern Kansas; naturalized northeastwardThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.
Growing conditions
- Light
- Part shade to shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
- Moisture
- MoistThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 4–8 · Canadian 5–7The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
- Soil
- Rich, moist, sometimes rocky, soilsThe soils it grows in naturally.
- Soil pH
- 4.5–8.0The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
- Soil quality
- HighHow rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
- Water use
- HighHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.
- Salinity tolerance
- NoneHow well it copes with salty soil, near roads or the coast.
- Lime (CaCO₃) tolerance
- MediumHow well it copes with chalky, lime-rich soil.
Growth & form
- Height
- up to 2 ft (to 0.6 m)Typical mature height.
- Life cycle
- PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
- Growth rate
- ModerateA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
- Shape
- ErectIts overall silhouette.
- Root depth
- 4+ in (10+ cm)How far the roots reach, a guide to drought resilience and transplanting.
Flowers, foliage & fruit
- Type
- WildflowerWhat kind of plant it is.
- Bloom
- Mar–JunWhen it flowers.
- Flower color
- Pink, Blue, PurpleThe bloom color, or colors.
- Fruit/Seeds
- SchizocarpThe seed or fruit it sets after flowering.
- Toxicity
- None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.
Propagation & seed
- Cold stratification
- Not requiredWhether seed needs a cold, moist spell before it will germinate.
- Propagation
- Bare root, seedHow to start new plants.
- Seed
- ~0.2 million seeds per poundNotes on the seed and how to sow it.
- Seed spread rate
- SlowHow readily it self-sows. Slow or none means well-behaved, not a spreader.
- Seedling vigor
- MediumHow strongly young seedlings establish.
- Vegetative spread
- NoneWhether it creeps outward or stays put in a clump.