Ah, bluebells – there’s something so enchanting about them, isn’t there? The way they carpet the forest floor in a sea of blue-purple. Their delicate, bell-shaped flowers swaying in the breeze. And of course their sweet, heady fragrance filling the air.
But did you know that there are many other flowers out there that bear a striking resemblance to bluebells? If you’re a fan of these little blue beauties you’ll definitely want to check out this list of flowers that look like bluebells.
Flowers That Look Like Bluebells
Virginia Bluebells
Let’s start with an easy one. Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) are native to eastern North America and are often confused with bluebells. They grow up to two feet tall and produce clusters of bell shaped flowers that range in color from pink to lavender-blue. Their leaves are a bluish-green color and have a slightly fuzzy texture.
Virginia bluebells prefer to grow in moist, rich soil and partial shade. They are hardy in USDA zones 3-8 and will naturalize if given the right conditions. Their fragrance is described as sweet and musky, making them a favorite of bees and other pollinators.
Grape Hyacinth
Grape hyacinths (Muscari armeniacum) are a popular spring flowering bulb that are often mistaken for bluebells. They produce clusters of small, bell-shaped flowers that range in color from blue to purple. The flowers are tightly packed together on a long, thin stem, which gives them the appearance of a miniature grape cluster (that’s where the name comes from).
Grape hyacinths prefer full sun to partial shade and well draining soil. They are hardy in USDA zones 4-8 and are fairly easy to grow. Their fragrance is sweet and delicate but not as strong as that of bluebells.
Spanish Bluebell
The Spanish bluebell (Hyacinthoides hispanica) is a close relative of the English bluebell, but with a few distinct differences. They have wider leaves than English bluebells and their flowers are more cone-shaped than bell-shaped. They are available in shades of white, pink and blue-purple.
Spanish bluebells prefer full sun to partial shade and well-draining soil. They are hardy in USDA zones 4-8 and can be a bit invasive so they should be planted with caution. Their fragrance is sweet and mild but not as strong as that of English bluebells.
Wood Hyacinth
The wood hyacinth (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) is another close relative of the English bluebell but with a few differences of its own. They have broader leaves and their flowers are more upright than those of English bluebells. Those flowers are udually a rich blue-purple color but can also be found in pink and white.
Wood hyacinths prefer full sun to partial shade and well draining soil. They are hardy in USDA zones 4-8 and will naturalize if given the right conditions. Their fragrance is sweet and intense, much like that of English bluebells.
Siberian Squill
Siberian squill (Scilla siberica) is a small, hardy bulb that produces clusters of bell-shaped flowers in shades of blue, purple and white. They are often used as a ground cover and their tiny flowers are often compared to those of bluebells.
Siberian squill prefer full sun to partial shade and well-draining soil. They are hardy in USDA zones 2-8 and are also fairly easy to grow. Their fragrance is sweet and mild, but not as strong as that of bluebells.
Lungwort
Lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis) is a woodland wildflower that has a striking resemblance to bluebells. It produces clusters of funnel-shaped flowers that vary in color from pink to blue-purple and sometimes both on the same plant. The leaves are spotted with silver and have a rough texture, giving the plant an interesting texture and color combination.
Lungwort prefers partial to full shade and moist, well-draining soil. They are hardy in USDA zones 3-8 and will naturalize in the right conditions. Lungwort has a unique fragrance that is sweet and earthy and reminiscent of the forest floor.
Blue-eyed Grass
Despite its name blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium bellum) is not actually a type of grass. It is a member of the iris family and produces clusters of small, star-shaped flowers in shades of blue-purple. The flowers have a bell-like shape and can easily be mistaken for bluebells.
Blue-eyed grass prefers full sun to partial shade and well-draining soil. They are hardy in USDA zones 4-9 and are easy to grow from seed. Their fragrance is mild but the plant is known for attracting a variety of pollinators.
Blue Flags
Blue flags (Iris versicolor) are a wetland wildflower that produces clusters of large, showy flowers in shades of blue-purple. The flowers have a distinctive bell shape which like others can easily be confused with bluebells. The leaves are long and narrow and the plant can grow up to three feet tall.
Blue flags prefer wet soils and full sun to partial shade. They are hardy in USDA zones 3-9 and are relatively easy to grow in the right conditions. Their fragrance is mild and sweet which makes them a favorite of hummingbirds and butterflies.
Forget-Me-Nots
Forget-me-nots (Myosotis) are a charming little flower that produces clusters of small, bell-shaped flowers in shades of blue, pink, and white. The flowers have a delicate, airy quality to them, much like bluebells. The leaves are small and round and the plant can grow up to one foot tall.
Forget-me-nots prefer partial shade and moist, well draining soil. They are hardy in USDA zones 3-9 and will naturalize if given the right conditions. Their fragrance is sweet and mild but not as strong as that of bluebells.
Bellflowers
Finally we have the aptly named bellflowers (Campanula), which produce clusters of bell-shaped flowers in shades of blue, purple, pink and white. The flowers have a delicate, papery quality to them, much like bluebells. The leaves are usually heart-shaped and the plant can grow up to two feet tall.
Bellflowers prefer full sun to partial shade and well-draining soil. They are hardy in USDA zones 3-9 and are easy to grow from seed. They also have a mild and sweet fragrance that isn’t as strong as that of bluebells.
If you’re a fan of bluebells then you might want to consider adding some of these similar flowers to your garden. As you can see there are plenty of options to choose from.
Each of these flowers has its own unique characteristics and they all offer something special to any garden. Whether you’re looking to create a sea of blue-purple like a forest floor or add a few pops of color to your garden these bluebell look-alikes are sure to do a great job.
