Everyone loves Virginia Bluebells (M. virginica) for their sapphire blue flowers on 18″ stems that gleam from shady spots in April and May, making them an ideal underplanting for shrubs and trees. Because plants go dormant in summer, they should be planted with clump-forming Ferns such as Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina), Astilbes, or Hostas that will cover for them until spring returns. Plants thrive in deciduous shade and moist soil, where they will seed themselves to create a charming colony.
For more information on growing Mertensia, click Growing Guide.
HOW PLANTS ARE SHIPPED
The size of the plants we ship has been selected to reduce the shock of transplanting. For some, this means a large, bareroot crown. Others cannot travel bareroot or transplant best if grown in containers. We ship these perennials and annuals in 1 pint pots, except as noted. We must point out that many perennials will not bloom the first year after planting, but will the following year, amply rewarding your patience. We ship bulbs as dormant, bare bulbs, sometimes with some wood shavings or moss. Shrubs, Roses, vines, and other woody plants may be shipped bareroot or in pots. The size of the pot is noted in the quick facts for each item.
WHEN WE SHIP
We ship our bulbs and plants at the right time for planting in your area, except as noted, with orders dispatched on a first-come, first-served basis by climate zone. Estimated dates for shipping are indicated in the Shipping Details box for each item. Please refer to the Shipping Details box to determine the earliest shipping time. Please supply a street address for delivery. Kindly contact us with two weeks notice, if you'll be away at expected time of delivery.
OUR GUARANTEE
We guarantee to ship plants that are in prime condition for growing. If your order is damaged or fails to meet your expectations, we will cheerfully replace or refund it. Please contact our Customer Service Department at 1-800-503-9624 or email us at [email protected]. Please include your order number or customer number when contacting us.
Average Customer Rating: (5 Reviews) Write a Review
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A viewer from Connecticut
Order arrived in May. The first of these that I ordered arrived as a black and rotted squishy root. Planted immediately but there was never any sign of life. Contacted Customer Service and they quickly sent a replacement. This too, though it was less squishy, appeared dead - no living growth buds on it. Nevertheless I planted this one too. It is now the end of August and, again there has been no sign of life. I realize that this is *supposed* to die back in the summer but it should have at least sprouted in the springtime when it was planted. Would not recommend purchasing from this supplier as quality control seems to be lacking.
I am sorry to learn the replacement Mertensia have not grown as expected. If you have not already done so please contact Customer Service and a refund will be issued to your form of payment. Here is the contact information:
A viewer from Pacific Northwest
A viewer from Jefferson County, WV
KarenT1024 from Bloomington, MN
Latin Name Pronunciation: mer-ten'see-uh
Partial shade or shade. Plant in evenly moist soil. If you can't tell top from bottom, plant the rootstock horizontally. Plants go dormant by midsummer. Interplant with Ferns or Hostas, which fill the gaps the Bluebells leave behind. Mark their location to avoid damaging roots when digging late in the season.
