Bells of Ireland

 Bells of Ireland

Moluccella laevis

Perfect green bells for a bouquet. 

These apple-green bells add interesting texture and contrast to borders and make an excellent cut flower. Inside each bell-shaped calyx, you will find a small, white flower with a mild fragrance. This plant grows wild in Syria and Turkey, but the vibrant green has come to be associated with Ireland and good luck. Sow in a well-prepped bed and keep soil evenly moist to germinate (be patient!).

Direct sow in early Spring. Or, sow indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost then transplant into a well-prepped garden bed. Two weeks cold stratification. Bells of Ireland prefer cooler temperatures and can be planted in full sun or partial shade. If sowing indoors, chill seed for a few days before seeding. 

Germination Idea 1     Germination Idea 2   

1. Store seeds in freezer for several weeks. Soak seeds in water for about 24 hours. Place seeds in a damp paper towel. Put the paper towel in a plastic bag and set it on a heat mat. In just a few days, the seeds will begin to sprout.

2. Carefully transfer the sprouted seeds into seed trays, tucking the "tail" (root) into the soil.

3. Seedlings can grow the trays for a few weeks until they have 2-3 sets of leaves.

*Next year, if I do not have good luck, buy 150 seeds and direct sow most of them. The more I read, this seems like the best way to get these flowers. They will also self seed, so once you get this part of the bed started, you will not need to start seed inside.

Days to Germination             15-20 days

Days to Maturity                    95 days
Planting Depth                        0"
Spacing in Row                      10-12"
Spacing Between Rows          12"
Height at Maturity                24"
Width at Maturity                 6-12"
Sun Preference                      Full to partial Sun