How to Grow Wood Hyacinth (Spanish Bluebell)

Wood hyacinth, aka Spanish bluebell, is a flowering perennial bulb that’s suitable for cultivation in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-8.

These versatile spring bloomers provide a riot of blue-lavender, pink, or white bell-shaped flowers from April to May.

Low maintenance and robust, wood hyacinths were regarded as a staple in many old English gardens, and the blooms are still loved today.

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In this guide, we’ll talk about everything you need to know about growing wood hyacinth in your garden.

Here’s the lineup:

Hyacinthoides hispanica, also known as Spanish bluebell, wood hyacinth, large bluebell, or squill, is native to Spain, Portugal, and northwest Africa.

The pretty bell-shaped flowers, often a deep blue-periwinkle shade, make the reasoning behind the common name “bluebell” obvious.

“Hyacinth,” translated from the genus name Hyacinthoides, is derived from the Greek hyákinthos, which was the name of a legendary youth accidentally killed by the god Zephyr. A flowering plant supposedly grew from his blood and was given his name.

Spanish bluebell’s most common colloquial name, “wood hyacinth,” is likely derived from its love of the cool, dappled shade that woodlands and deciduous trees provide. “Squill” is normally a term for plants in the Asparagaceae subfamily, Scilloideae.

In some places the botanical name is still listed as Scilla campanulata, S. hispanica, or more rarely, Endymion hispanicus.

These wood hyacinths are distinct from other bluebells, such as the English or common bluebell, H. non-scripta.

H. hispanica blooms