FWIW, Mine are planted at the base of oak trees. They grow and multiply, but slowly. I'm not sure I would call them "flourishing", but having never planted them elsewhere, or, for that matter, having never even seen them in anyone else's garden, I don't know how to compare mine to others planted in different situations. Just this year I noticed about half a dozen new plants, a bit farther away from the originals, and they too have seeded - and are growing - under other oak trees. I do believe oaks are easier to plant under than other trees, so I don't know if that should be taken into account. Dee

Virginia bluebells (mertensia virginica) are native to our area, they like filtered shade. Like Prubo, I passed them over this spring (at NEWFS) for other things on my wishlist. They are one of the first wildflowers to bloom in the spring, but they are considered a spring ephermal(dormant in summer). So I'm trying to figure out what to plant with them, so I won't have a bear patch when they go dormant. When I was at the Garden in the Woods (about April 20th) they were in bloom at the same time as all the different spring phlox. I love hummingbirds and whatever they like gets pushed to the top of my wishlist. I thought the blue tubular flowers looked like one they'd be interested in. However, I had never heard of them being used to attract hummingbirds. Plus it seemed like they were blooming too early. Then when I started seeing hummingbirds at my feeder, (May 4th, to be exact)I realized I had no flowers blooming for them. They showed up a lot earlier than I had anticipated. So now I'm back to my original thought of bluebells being a good nectar source for the early hummers. I did find one website about native wildflowers that considered them a hummingbird flower. So that's enough for me to decide, I have to have them! Either by sowing seed this fall, or plants in the spring. I will probably do both, because I am impatient, and this way I'll have a few blooming right away. I did find plants available now, from a company I've had a good experience with. Here is a link that might be useful: Look under Mertensia virginica

Good question. I have big groups of them, but I always transplant mine in the spring when I can see them, with the leaves of course sticking above the ground. I just went out and poked around gently where I know they are, and couldn't find any sign of them (I didn't go more than half an inch deep) but I know they have a root kind of like a carrot. I think I would spit the difference, and plant the crowns aboout an inch deep. You could try some at ground level and some deeper, see what happens. They are wildflowers, they may just pull themselves where they need to be.

Hi, Limited availability of Virginia bluebells resulted in me ordering some now - late for spring planting. They will be delivered soon. 1) In general - what happens to Virginia Bluebells planted in Sun locations? Will they just have short bloom time each spring, or will they die and not naturalize? 2) Given I will be planting late (mid June), should I just abandon effort and see if I can re-find some for fall? I am in z7 Virginia. Hot summers. thanks, growitnow