Hyacinthoides non-scripta (bluebell)

Hyacinthoides non-scripta grows wild in the UK, Ireland, Belgium, The Netherlands, France, Portugal and Spain, and has become naturalised elsewhere in Europe.

Hyacinthoides non-scripta (Image: Wolfgang Stuppy)

A bulb with flower stalks up to 50 cm tall and 3-6 linear leaves up to 50 cm long and 25 mm wide. Each flowering stem bends downwards towards the tip and bears 4-16 flowers along one side. The pendent, strongly sweetly scented flowers are violet-blue, or rarely pink or white. The perianth (petals and sepals) is tubular-bell-shaped, 14-20 mm long, with the free lobes curling up at the tips. The outer three stamens are fused to the perianth for over three quarters of their length. The anthers are cream-coloured.

Hyacinthoides non-scripta (Image: Wolfgang Stuppy)

In the UK, Hyacinthoides non-scripta is protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) which prohibits landowners from removing bluebells from their land for sale, and prohibits anyone from digging up bulbs from the countryside. Its listing on Schedule 8 of the Act in 1998 made trade in wild bluebell bulbs or seeds an offence (unless special licenses are issued by the UK Government or devolved administrations permitting sustainable collection of seeds). Current threats to bluebells include the loss of ancient woodland habitat, the illegal collection of bulbs and cross-breeding with non-native bluebells.

There is some concern that non-native bluebells (Hyacinthoides hispanica and numerous Hyacinthoides hybrids and cultivars) that have escaped from cultivation may pose a threat to British H. non-scripta populations. Scientists at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh are studying native and non-native bluebells in the wild to evaluate the actual threats to H. non-scripta.

Kew News – 14 September 2009 - Scientific survey reveals the future of British bluebell woods is under threat

Bluebells make an attractive ornamental addition to woodland gardens or sites in semi-shade. They are commonly found in British woodlands which have been in existence since at least 1600 AD, and are therefore considered to be environmental indicators of ancient woodland. A glue obtained from bluebells was traditionally used as a means of sticking flights to arrow shafts and in book-binding. The bulb is reported to have diuretic and styptic properties. Bluebells have been used in traditional medicine to treat leucorrhoea (discharge of mucus from the vagina). Starch derived from the bulb has been used in laundering.

At the beginning of the 20th century special “Bluebell Trains” took tourists on excursions to see the spectacular bluebell displays in the deciduous woodlands of the Chiltern Hills in southeast England. Although the special train services no longer run, the bluebells can still be seen in what has since been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

There is yet another link between bluebells, tourism and railways – the flower lends its name to the famous “Bluebell Railway” in East Sussex, not far from Wakehurst Place. With its steam locomotives, the railway has the distinction of being the world’s first preserved standard gauge passenger line. It is a popular tourist attraction running through attractive wooded countryside where, at the right time of year, you can see bluebells.

Kew's Millennium Seed Bank Partnership aims to save plant life world wide, focusing on plants under threat and those of most use in the future. Seeds are dried, packaged and stored at a sub-zero temperature in our seed bank vault.

Description of seeds: Average 1,000 seed weight = 5.53 g.
Number of seed collections stored in the Millennium Seed Bank: Nine.
Seed storage behaviour: Orthodox (the seeds of this plant survive drying without significant reduction in their viability, and are therefore amenable to long-term frozen storage such as at the MSB)
Germination testing: 100 % germination was achieved with a pre-sowing treatment (seed scarified - chipped with scalpel), on a 1% agar medium, at a temperature of 11°C, on a cycle of 12 hours daylight/12 hours darkness.

Hyacinthoides non-scripta in woodland (Image: Peter Gasson)

Bluebells require plenty of moisture during the winter and spring (when they are in growth), but cool shade in the summer, and soil that is not waterlogged. In Britain, it is important to plant the true native bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) and not the Spanish bluebell (H. hispanica), as this is often more vigorous and can take over the garden, out-competing native bluebell populations. It can also hybridise with the native bluebell, and could ultimately destroy the pure species. The bluebell is really a plant best enjoyed in its natural setting; large populations can be seen at both Kew and Wakehurst Place.

Bluebells in the grounds of Queen Charlotte's Cottage (Image: RBG Kew)

Bluebells have long grown in the Natural Areas (Conservation Area) at Kew, situated near Queen Charlotte's Cottage, and are indicators of ancient British woodland. Every spring they fill the woods with an ocean of colour, best seen when the sun is low. Bluebells can also be seen in the Loder Valley Nature Reserve and Bethlehem Wood at Wakehurst Place.

Alcohol-preserved specimens of Hyacinthoides non-scripta are held in Kew’s Herbarium, where they are available to bona fide researchers by appointment. The details of some of these specimens can be seen online in Kew’s Herbarium Catalogue.

Search Kew's databases for more information on this species

Kew Science Teams - Monocots I: General Alismatids & Lilioids

Natural History Museum – Hyacinthoides non-scripta

Natural History Museum - Identify your bluebells

Plantlife International – Bluebells of Britain (find out more about how you can protect native bluebells)

Bluebell Railway Preservation Society