Hyacinthoides Non-scripta - Distribution and Ecology

Distribution and Ecology

In the west of its range, H. non-scripta lives in open habitats.

Hyacinthoides non-scripta is native to the western parts of Atlantic Europe, from north-western Spain (occasionally even north-western Portugal) to the Netherlands and the British Isles. It is found in Belgium, Great Britain, France, Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain, and also occurs as a naturalized species in Germany, Italy, and Romania. It has also been introduced to parts of North America, in both the Pacific Northwest (British Columbia, Washington and Oregon) and the north-eastern United States (Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York).

Despite the wide distribution of H. non-scripta, it reaches its greatest densities in the British Isles, where "bluebell woods" (woodland with the understory dominated by H. non-scripta in spring) are a familiar sight. H. non-scripta is found throughout the British Isles, with the exception of the northern Outer Hebrides (Lewis and Harris), Orkney and Shetland, and it is estimated that 25%–50% of all common bluebells may be found in the British Isles.

Bluebells are a species of deciduous woodland over much of their range, flowering and leafing early before the canopy closes in late spring. They may also be found growing under bracken or Japanese knotweed, perennial plants which also form stands with a dense summer canopy. They are most successful on slightly acid soils; the same niche in alkaline conditions may be occupied by other species such as Mercurialis perennis. As a species adapted to woodlands, the young shoots are able to penetrate through a thick layer of leaf litter, and bluebells are often used as an indicator species to identify ancient woodland. Bluebells are also frequently found in hedgerows, and in the west of their range they can be found growing in open habitats, including coastal meadows. Bluebell flowers are rich in pollen and nectar, and are chiefly pollinated by bumblebees, although they are also visited by various other insects. They are a host species for the parasitic fungus Uromyces muscari, which causes bluebell rust. The ability of H. non-scripta to take up phosphorus from the soil is greatly enhanced by the presence of arbuscular mycorrhizae in its roots.