The UK has the finest bluebell carpets in the world. Almost half the global population is
found in the UK. As the name suggests, the native bluebell has violet-blue bell-shaped flowers.
Flowers are straight sided and are made up of six petals with upturned tips. Bluebells have a tall
flowering stem which droops or nods distinctively to one side. The flowers have a strong
sweet scent and the pollen is a pale cream colour.
Why do we record bluebells?
Volunteers have recorded bluebell first flowering as
part of Nature’s Calendar since 2001 and we have
earlier records dating back to 1809.
WTML/Michelle Blackburn
It will be interesting to see when this event takes place
this year, compared to previous years.
Our climate is changing. Climate change will
produce some winners which are well adapted to
climate change and some losers which cannot adapt
quickly enough. Long-term monitoring of species
like bluebell will help scientists to gain a greater
understanding of this issue, and provide policymakers
with hard evidence.
WTML/Judith Parry
Nature’s Calendar: bluebell
Nature’s Calendar: bluebell
Other garden plants that may look similar to bluebells
are Siberian squill (Scilla siberica) and Russian
snowdrop (Puschkinia scilloides).
Our website is full of top tips for bluebell identification.
Take a look at: woodlandtrust.org.uk/bluebells
Record the first flowering date of native bluebells,
when the petals have opened sufficiently for you
to see inside the flowers.
Look for trend setting flowering not just one bluebell
flowering abnormally early. This should be easy
because many bluebells often grow closely together.
When to record
Bluebells tend to flower from mid-March to May.
Flowering dates can vary by several weeks in the
same location, from year to year, depending on the
severity of the previous winter.
Not to be confused with…
Spanish bluebells have escaped into the wild from
gardens but should not be recorded. The easiest way
to tell them apart from native bluebells is by the
colour of their pollen. Native bluebells have creamywhite pollen whereas Spanish bluebells have blue or
pale green pollen. Spanish bluebells also have broader
leaves, flowers which are more widely bell-shaped and
stems which are stiff and upright.
It’s possible for native and Spanish bluebells to
hybridise (crossbreed), so if you’re not 100% sure of
your identification please do not record. If in doubt,
leave it out!
Spanish bluebell
Siberian squill
iStoclk
What to record
WTML/Larry Michael
Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) can be found all
over the UK in woodland, grassland, heathland, scrub
and in hedgerows.
Be cautious about recording bluebells in your garden,
double check that you aren’t recording Spanish
bluebell (Hyacinthoides hispanica), Siberian squill
(Scilla siberica) or Russian snowdrop (Puschkinia
scilloides). See our ‘Not to be confused with…’ section
for more information.
Bluebell leaves and flowers are sensitive to trampling
and this can reduce flowering the following year, so
please avoid trampling to preserve them for everyone
to enjoy. Please keep to the paths where possible.
WTML/Rosanna Ballentine
Where to record
Russian snowdrop
How fast does spring move?
Theoretically, spring events should occur in the south
west of the UK first, and gradually occur further
north, as the season progresses. This is due to the
differences in climate in the north and south of the
UK. What is less clear is how quickly certain signs will
make an appearance up the country from south to
north. Nature’s Calendar will use your records to help
answer the question ‘how fast does spring move?’
Recording tips
Once you have seen a sign of spring, please record it!
Remember that you need to register on the Nature’s
Calendar website first.
Registration: naturescalendar.org.uk/register
Recording: naturescalendar.org.uk/survey/login
Please choose somewhere you visit regularly (at least
weekly) to record your signs of spring. This helps to
ensure that you spot when something happens for
the first time.
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number SC038885. A non-profit making company limited by guarantee. Registered in England number 1982873. 9648 03/17