Spanish bluebell is planted in the fall and typically blooms April to early May.
The plant is toxic to humans, and toxic to pets.
Spanish Bluebell Care
Plant Spanish bluebell in the autumn and it will bloom in spring.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
This sunlight requirement is not usually challenging to meet because Spanish bluebell foliage appears before that ofdeciduous trees.
Spanish bluebell flowers can be cut and brought indoors without injuring the plant.
After flowering is finished, allow the foliage to die back completely on its own.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Light
Spanish bluebell is best grown in full sun in cooler climates.
Give it partial shade in warmer climates to avoid scorching.
Water
The plant has average water needs.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Temperature and Humidity
Spanish bluebells are native to cool, shady, damp, well-drained woodlands.
They are, however, quite hardy and able to adapt to different options.
It’s important to maintain some moisture and to avoid direct sun in hotter areas.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
This will help to increase drainage, a key factor for successful growth.
The typical Spanish bluebell color is really a lavender color, with blue highlights.
‘Blue Giant’ might bethe cultivarthat comes closest to being true blue.
This spring-flowering bulb also comes in other colors.
For example:
Pruning
Remove spent flowers immediately to prevent the plant from self-seeding.
As a great alternative, cut the flowers when in full bloom and bring them indoors to enjoy.
Propagating Spanish Bluebells
Spanish bluebells propagate easily on their own by underground runners that form new bulbs.
For this reason, propagating by division is recommended.
see to it the pot has excellent drainage.
Dig up the bulbs and divide them every few years to ensure the plants continue to thrive.
Overwintering
If you are growing in pots, bring them indoors for the winter.
Common Pests and Plant Diseases
This plant is very resistant to pests and plant diseases.
It can be tempting to cut back foliage after the flowers are spent to tidy up the garden.
This should result in more spectacular blooms next season.
They will readily hybridize with English bluebells, so don’t plant these two together.
Because Spanish bluebells can irritate your hands, always wear gloves when working with them.
Botanists now want us to call Spanish bluebellHyacinthoides hispanica.
But older names persist, includingScilla hispanica; they were also formerly placed in theEndymiongenus.
Common bluebell’s blooms line up on one side of the floral stalk.
By contrast,Hyacinthoides hispanicapushes up a straight flower stalk.
Moreover, its flowers emerge from multiple sides of the stalk.
Spanish bluebells look great with daffodils, Asiatic lilies, and oxalis.
NC State University Cooperative Extension.
