Spring Planting - Mertensia - BlueBells

A fellow garden writer said he has had good luck with Virginia Bluebells in his Northeast Oklahoma garden.

They are not sold in garden centers so I ordered a few bulbs from the mail order nursery he recommended.

The United States Department of Agriculture plants database says they are native to the US which is a great find. It seems that so many of the plants we buy are native to Europe, Asia and parts south such as Mexico and South America.

Plants native to our own soils should be stronger and resist diseases. The USDA map indicates native growth of Virginia Bluebells includes Kansas and Arkansas - why not Northeast Oklahoma, too?

If you haven't visited the Plants database, click on the link above for a treasure chest of plant information.