Small bluebells facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Small bluebells |
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| Mertensia longiflora near Cashmere, Douglas County Washington | |
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Mertensia (plant)
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| Species: |
longiflora
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The Mertensia longiflora, often called small bluebells or long bluebells, is a beautiful flowering plant. It belongs to the borage family, which includes many plants known for their pretty blue flowers. This plant is known for its lovely bell-shaped blooms that often appear in spring.
Where Long Bluebells Grow
This plant is native to western North America. You can find it growing naturally from British Columbia in Canada all the way down to California in the United States. It also grows east into states like Montana. The long bluebells plant can live in many different types of places. It thrives in various natural settings across these regions.
What Long Bluebells Look Like
The long bluebells plant is a perennial herb. This means it lives for more than two years and grows new stems each year. It has an upright stem that can grow up to about 40 centimeters tall. That's almost 16 inches! The stem grows from a branching caudex, which is a thick, woody base of the stem, often found underground.
The plant has a few leaves that are shaped like ovals or spears. These leaves help the plant make its food from sunlight.
The Flowers of Long Bluebells
The flowers of the long bluebells plant grow in a dense cluster. They often hang downwards, like little bells. Each flower is shaped like a tube that opens up into a bell-like mouth. These flowers are usually a bright blue color. However, you might also see them in shades of lavender, pinkish, or even almost white. Each flower can be up to 2.5 centimeters long, which is about one inch.
