The Dawes Arboretum

Common name: bluebell bellflower, common harebell

Family: Campanulaceae (bellflower family)

Distribution: North America, Europe and temperate Asia

Regional red list: Ohio Threatened Species

Hardiness: USDA Zone 3

Life form: Herbaceous perennial

Comments: As the name suggests, bluebell produces blue, bell-shaped flowers in summer. The genus name comes from the Latin "campana" meaning bell. The flowers are comprised of five petals that are fused together to form the "bell." It is native to a variety of environments, having a near circumpolar distribution in the Northern Hemisphere (i.e., can be found in different parts of the world within a certain latitude and longitude range). Bees are frequent pollinators. Like other plants of the same genus, bluebell exudes a white latex when broken or injured.