Virginia Bluebells - Mertensia virginica
Above: Virginia Bluebells around the Duck Pond in Madison, Wisconsin on April 25, 2019.
NOTE: Warmth of Duck Pond stone wall entrance encouraged early blooms.
Virginia Bluebells - Mertensia virginica (Spring Ephemeral)
Mertensia virginica is a spring ephemeral plant with bell-shaped sky-blue flowers, native to eastern North America.
Flowerbuds are blue to pink (fuchsia). Flowers have five petals fused into a tube, five stamens, and a central pistil (carpel). They are borne in mid-spring in nodding spiral-shaped cymes at the end of arched stems. Flowers are usually blue. White or pink flowers occur rarely.
Other names include: Eastern bluebells, Virginia cowslip, lungwort oysterleaf, Roanoke bells
Above: Virginia Bluebells around the Duck Pond in Madison, Wisconsin on April 25, 2019.
For more information on Virginia Bluebells, visit Wikipedia.
Or, visit the: Wisconsin State Herbarium.
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
Above: Virginia Bluebells around the Duck Pond (4/21/19)
Above: Virginia Bluebells around the Duck Pond (4/25/19)
Above: Virginia Bluebells around the Duck Pond (4/27/19)
Above: Virginia Bluebells around the Duck Pond (5/01/19)
Above: Virginia Bluebells around the Duck Pond (5/06/19)
Above: Virginia Bluebells around the Duck Pond (5/24/19)
Above: 1919 Virginia Bluebell illustration by Mary Vaux Walcott. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the artist.
Above: Virginia Bluebell botanical line drawing from USDA NRCS, Wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide to plant species., USDA NRCS National Wetland Team.
Above: 1913 Virginia Bluebell illustration.
