courtesy of Didina Sacui

Mertensia virginica - ​Virginia Bluebell is an early blooming herbaceous perennial with showy terminal clusters of blue trumpet-shaped flowers. An easy plant in open shade, dappled to part sun in fertile, draining soil it will thrive and slowly spread. Virginia Bluebell is perfect in a woodland scheme where it will in ephemeral fashion flower in early spring and soon disappear. Plant with later-to-emerge plants that will fill the gaps. Native from Maine, west to Minnesota, south to Arkansas, Alabama and South Carolina.