Discover bluebells

The bluebell's scientific name (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) comes from a Greek myth. When the Prince Hyacinthus died, the God Apollo's tears spelled the word 'alas' on the petals of the hyacinth flower that sprang up from his blood. Non-scripta means unlettered and tells readers that the bluebell is a different species to the similar looking hyacinth.

Bluebells are a protected species and the Trust works to conserve their habitats in our three counties. Indeed the carpets that we are accustomed to are usually a reasonable indicator of an ancient woodland. 25-49% of the world’s population of bluebells are found in the UK.

In East Anglia these seasonal wonders are not as common as elsewhere, because there simply aren’t as many suitable areas of woodland or heathland for bluebells to thrive. 71% of native bluebells are found in broadleaved woodland or scrub.

Bluebells bulbs prefer to be in shade during the summer and in areas where it is not too wet, so the wide open spaces and boggy Fens in this region are not suitable. That said, in the special woodland spots where we do find them, they are just as spectacular as anywhere else.

Theft and habitat loss: The biggest threats to bluebells are habitat loss and uprooting of the bulbs for gardens.

Growth rate: Bluebells are slow to develop and it takes at least five years for a seed to grow into a bulb.

Grazing: Sheep and cattle can cause considerable harm by grazing on bluebell leaves. Similarly the introduction of the muntjac deer is causing many problems as these animals are partial to the bluebell leaves and can cause great damage by eating them to the ground and by crushing them.

Unfortunately native bluebells are under threat from a non-native imposter, the Spanish bluebell - the plants are very similar, although the Spanish version is usually paler than our native species and has upright flowers all around the stem. These give it a more upright appearance than English bluebells, which have flowers arranged on one side of the stem, giving them a characteristic droop. Native bluebells have white-creamy anthers inside, whereas non-native anthers are usually blue. But just to confuse things they can also hybridise.

Spanish bluebells are widely sold in garden centres and have escaped from home gardens into the wild. While you might argue that there can surely be little harm in having a few from elsewhere, especially as they look similar, the Spanish and native species are inter-breediing which results in hybrid plants that could eventually lead to the extinction of 'our' bluebell. You can read more about current research into this problem in our news story on bluebells and barcoding.

Bluebells can also be white. These rare individuals lack the pigment that gives bluebells their distinctive colour.

In folklore, bluebells are also known as ‘fairy flowers’. It was believed that fairies used bluebells to trap passersby particularly small children!

Other folklore tales would have us believe that by wearing a wreath made of bluebell flowers, the wearer would be compelled to speak only the truth. Or that if you could turn one of the flowers inside out without tearing it, you would eventually win the one you love.

Bluebell plants are poisonous. The chemical that makes them poisonous was used in alchemy and is being researched by modern day scientists for medical use.

Tennyson speaks of bluebell juice being used to cure snake-bite. The romantic poets of the 19th century, such as Keats and Tennyson, believed that the bluebell symbolised solitude and regret.

The bulbs produce an extremely sticky substance which as once used to stick the pages in books and the feathers on arrows.