Bluebells: Symbolism and Toxicity

Bluebells, or Hyacinthoides non-scripta, are beautiful flowers that seem like they bow before those who look upon them. This is most likely the reason why bluebell flowers generally symbolize gratitude, humility, everlasting love, and constancy. Specific colors of the blossoms have specific meanings, for example, lilac or purple bluebells represent humility and constancy, white flowers symbolize purity and spirituality, blue blossoms mean humility and constancy, and pink bluebells convey a feeling of everlasting love. 

Ranging in colors from light violet to deep indigo, pink and white, bluebells make an appearance from April through late May, making them a sign of spring. Bluebell flowers are native to Atlantic Europe, growing in North-Western Portugal and Spain, the British Isles, and the Netherlands, but can also be found all over parts of Western Europe including all of Great Britain, Ireland, France, Belgium, Germany, Romania, and Italy. These plants also grow wild in North America. They grow the most abundantly in the British Isles, creating “bluebell woods” as they cover forest floors with their vibrant indigo color. 

Bluebells are toxic to humans and animals due to all parts of the plant containing glycosides. If a large amount is consumed, it can be fatal. Despite their toxicity, bluebells have been used historically in traditional medicine to correct hormonal imbalances, as a diuretic, and as a styptic. The plant has also been used as an adhesive in bookbinding and arrow-making due to the sticky sap that it secretes. 

These flowers have had many names throughout history and are linked to many fairy tales and myths. Bluebells are sometimes also referred to as fairy flowers because some believe that fairies use bluebells to enchant and trap humans. Some examples of this are that if you pick a bluebell, fairies will lead you astray, causing you to become lost forever, and if you hear a bluebell ring, a bad fairy will visit and either you or someone close to you will lose their life. In Scotland, bluebells are called harebells for it was believed that witches used to transform themselves into hares and then hide in fields of bluebells.

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