It's against the law to intentionally pick, uproot or destroy bluebells. Bluebells have soft, succulent leaves that are particularly sensitive to being trodden on. Once the leaves are damaged, they are unable to absorb the sun and photosynthesise, so they die back.
The bluebell is protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981). This means digging up the plant or bulb in the countryside is prohibited and landowners are prohibited from removing bluebells from their land to sell.
It is best to dig out bluebells while they are in leaf, as the bulbs are almost impossible to find when the plants are dormant: Loosen soil around the bulbs to a good depth and remove all the bulbs and underground parts.
After flowering has finished for the season leave the foliage in place; don't cut it off. If they are naturalised in grass, avoid mowing until the leaves have fully died back. The leaves will gather sunlight, create food through photosynthesis and strengthen the bulbs for the future.
Online garden centre, Gardening Express, is reminding Brits that picking flowers, such as bluebells or daffodils, could result in imprisonment or a fine of up to £5,000.
Almost half the world's bluebells are found in the UK – they're relatively rare elsewhere. It's against the law to intentionally pick, uproot or destroy bluebells. Bluebell colonies take a long time to establish – around five to seven years from seed to flower. Bluebells can take years to recover after footfall damage.
Allow the foliage to die down naturally after flowering. It is a good idea to remove the faded flower spikes before they set seed to prevent the plants self-seeding and spreading where they aren't wanted. Bluebells are rarely troubled by any pests or diseases.
The bulbs go deep down into good soil and if you want to remove them they must be dug out totally. The white bulbs throw off little bulbils and they will grow back unless you clean up the soil to at least 12 “. If your garden veers towards the more formal you may wish to tidy up by removing the bluebells.
Do make sure that you do it with English bluebells and not Spanish. The English bluebell, which hangs just down on one side, and we think of as a carpet in woodland, is not too invasive." "Whereas, the Spanish bluebell, which hangs on both sides and is bigger and generally more robust, is truly, truly invasive.
Reproduction: Spanish bluebell's seed freely and often hybridize through insect polination. The Spanish bluebell has hybridised frequently with the native common bluebell and the resulting hybrids are regarded as invasive.
Depending on the weather, the bluebell season can last a couple of weeks, generally appearing first in the south of Britain, where it tends to be warmer before sweeping across the country to finish the season in Scotland and the north.
What is the difference between Spanish bluebells and English bluebells?
They are a little more delicate than English bluebells and have a more slender stem and delicate leaves. The Spanish bluebell's flower is also smaller, with a darker shade of blue that's almost violet in color. English bluebells are a bit more hearty than their Spanish counterparts.
In the UK, native bluebells are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) which prohibits anyone from picking or destroying the flowers, digging up the bulbs, or collecting bluebells from the wild for sale.
In some parts of the country it is thought unlucky to take bluebells into the house, although, under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 it is actually illegal to dig up the bulbs. Even in the language of flowers the bluebell stands for sorrowful regret, although on a cheerier note it also stands for constancy.
Although these thoughts are lovely, bluebells are highly toxic to humans, dogs, cats, horses and cattle. They contain scillaren, a glycoside that can cause irregular heartbeat.
The bulbs are easily mistaken for spring onions or garlic. Bluebell sap is believed to cause dermatitis and skin irritation. All varieties of bluebells contain glycosides, and therefore all varieties are poisonous.
To enjoy the pretty charm of Spanish Bluebells indoors in winter time, you can fool them into thinking it's winter when it's actually still fall, a process called forcing. There are various forcing methods, but Hyacinthoides will look very pretty when forced using water.
Do bluebells flower every year? Bluebells are perennials which means they flower annually. They spend the spring soaking up energy from the sunshine and store the energy in their bulb over winter, waiting to bloom again.
Lift clumps of forget-me-not once the display wanes, and before too many seeds are released. They can become invasive if left unchecked. Stake tall perennials to prevent wind damage to flower spikes.
The flowers of the bluebell are at their best in late April and early May. When the flowers die, green seed pods are formed. By July these will be dry and brown and full of small black seeds. The seeds may take 5 years to develop into a mature flowering bulb.
It is illegal to dig up snowdrops in the wild so only buy from a trusted source. Snowdrops are best planted 'in the green', which means they are in flower or, more usually, have flowered but still have green leaves attached and the bulb is yet to go dormant.
It's ok to gather seeds from flowers from meadows or hedges in the wild, as long as you do so in moderation, and only for your own use (not to sell)! However, it is against the law to remove or uproot the whole plant.
