Bluebells

Bluebells

Claire Robinson, Committee member

Every year, in April and May, many of our woodland floors are transformed into a stunning blue carpet of flowers. Bluebells are typically found in ancient woodland which is defined as a habitat that has been continuously wooded since the 1600s, and are native to western Europe – Spain and Portugal, France, the Netherlands and Belgium, the UK and Ireland. Some have been introduced to Australia, New Zealand and parts of the USA, but, most importantly, around 50% of all the world’s bluebells are found here in the UK.

Going back in history, bluebells were part of myths and legends; it was believed that they were used in witches’ potions and that the ringing of the bell-shaped flower would summon fairies. On a more practical level, the bulb was used as a glue to attach feathers to archers’ arrows and to provide a starch for stiffening Elizabethan ruffs.

Today, with many of our habitats and wildlife declining, bluebells are a protected species. It is against the law to pick them, uproot or destroy them, and we need to be aware that even treading on the leaves will considerably damage the plant. 

Another measure we can take to protect them is to avoid planting Spanish bluebells anywhere near wild native bluebells as they are easily hybridised and the Spanish ones will outcompete our native species. Spanish bluebells, which were introduced by Victorian plant collectors, have wider leaves, paler flowers and an upright stem. Our native ones droop slightly, have deep violet-blue flowers that grow on one side of the stem.

In September 2025, we cut out brambles that were covering the few patches of bluebells in Verulamium Park. We trimmed the brambles back to ground level because, due to the protected nature of our heritage site, we were not able to dig them up.