Did you know that only 10% of flowering plants have blue blooms? That makes the blue color of Virginia Bluebells Mertensia virginica even more eye-catching when they pop up in the spring. The flowers are pink at first before turning their famous shade of blue. They’re considered spring ephemerals because they bloom early and briefly in the spring – and their blooms only last for a couple of weeks.

Virginia Bluebells are native and are frequently visited by pollinators in the spring. They’re related to forget-me-nots and lungwort and are commonly known by a variety of names including: Virginia Bluebells, Lungwort Oysterleaf, Virginia Cowslip, Old Ladies Bonnets, and Gentleman’s breeches.

Pictured here: Virginia Bluebells Mertensia virginica
Photo credit: Lisa T.