Bluebells / Spring / Poisonous
Common names
Bluebell
Botanical Name
Hyacinthoides Nonscripta
Known Hazards
The whole plant is toxic
Could be confused with
Three cornered leek, Snow drops when young shoots are emerging
Range and Distribution
Fairly common throughout UK and Western Europe.
Habitat
Woodland garden in dappled shade, shady edges of woods and hedgerows.
Physical Characteristics of Bluebells
Leaf
A small bulb growing into long thin waxy leaves which are C shaped veins.
Flowers
It has bell-like flowers, each flower with 6 blue/lilac petals.
Smell
This plant has a pleasant floral smell
Edible Use
This plant is toxic, do not eat.
Herbal
The bulb has diuretic properties and can help stop bleeding
Miscellaneous
It can take years for bluebells to recover from damage by footfall, if the leaves are crushed they cannot photosynthesize and starve and die.
Consuming bluebells can cause severe gastric upset which in some cases can be fatal.