Virginia Cowslip Mertensia virginica
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- mer-TEN-see-ah ver-JIN-ih-kah
- Description
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One of the most beautiful native wildflowers, Virginia bluebells add a touch of class to any garden. They flower when the spring weather is warm and inviting, beckoning gardeners to come outdoors to see their subtle beauty, before going dormant in mid-summer.
These plants grow best in partial shade and moist, cool soil high in organic matter. Naturally, they can be found in nutrient-rich, moist soils of floodplain forests and thickets. They can be easily propagated by sowing fresh seed or dividing plants in spring. May be difficult to find in the trade.
VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Mertensia
- Species:
- virginica
- Family:
- Boraginaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Central Northern America
- Distribution:
- Rich, moist woods, bottomlands in North America
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Wildflower
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5b, 5a, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Spring
- Summer
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- Pink
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Trumpet
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Nodding, trumpet-like 1 in. light blue flowers with five petals, the buds pink. Blooms from spring to early summer.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Blue
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Smooth
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 2-8 in. oval, smooth, strongly veined, alternate gray-green basal leaves. Dies to the ground in mid-summer.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Succulent, smooth stems
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Small Space
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Cottage Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Hummingbirds
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Black Walnut
- Rabbits
