Blue Bells becoming white in England?

Question

I have noticed some blue bells in several patches in the west of England are changing colour or rather becoming pale and eventually white.

My question is , Does anyone know the reason and has it been noticed elsewhere in Europe.

Ian.

Answer 1

I know hydrangeas have different colors depending on the acidity of the soil. Maybe bluebells are the same.

Answer 2

All the rain has washed the colour out.

Answer 3

well did you no there are noth white bells and blue bells....so could it be that you just saw white bells?????

Answer 4

I've noticed a few myself. Not a big patch just one or two plants (I'm in the SE of England). Be interesting to know if there is a reason - I just thought they were genetic flukes.

Answer 5

i notice this in my local woods

Answer 6

white english bluebells do occur but they are rare. it is more likely, especially if they werent there before, and particularly if they are within bee-distance of houses (a mile or so) that they have hybridised with spanish bluebells, which come in pale blue, pink and white.

the main giveaway is the spanish ones dont smell, and have bells all round the stem instead of on one side, they are bigger and the stems are straight instead of curved over. hybrids might share any of these characteristics to some degree.

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/briti...

Answer 7

Could be there is a deficiency in the soil or maybe the bulbs are getting old.