Native plants for a Cape Cod garden

Synonym: virginia cowslip, lungwort oysterleaf

While they are not yet in full bloom, Virginia bluebells are a notable presence in my woodland garden, and their leaves were one of the first to break through the soil a few short weeks ago. This member of the Boraginaceae family is a new addition to my woodland garden. I bought two plants last year at the height of their blooming period. The plants went to seed quickly and withered not too long thereafter. This year, they are looking healthy and eager to make their presence known. they are gaining good height, and if this continues I may have to stalk the plants this year. The plants like light shade to partial sun in moist wooded areas with rich soil, and their soil preference runs the gamut from mildly acidic to mildly alkaline.

The plants are simply beautiful with gray-green leaves and sky blue bell shaped flowers. Pollinators of this plant are bumble bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, although the flowering period, only three weeks long, may be over before the first ruby-throated hummingbird makes it to my yard. (the hummingbird feeder has been up for a third week now, but no sightings yet)

Virginia bluebells can be found east of the Rockies, in zones 3 to 9, from Ontario to Georgia, but not in Florida. It is not native to most New England states (Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island) but it is found in Massachusetts – go figure…

Enjoy the plant while it is here, by midsummer there will be no evidence that Mertensia virginica was ever there. Besides bringing early color, the plant also has other ways to be enjoyed: The leaves and flowers are edible, and are a delicious addition to a salad or stir-fry. The leaves are succulent in texture and add their own distinct flavor to the mix. Some say that the name “oysterleaf” refers to the the fact that the leaves, according to some, taste a bit like those fruits-de-mer.

The heavenly blue of Mertensia virginica