Bluebell season

[Serial_Apologist]

If I understood the article correctly, English bluebells have the advantage of being more prolific; but when fertilised by the Spanish ones, it's the Spanish ones that take over. Or, English bluebells run faster, but Spanish ones are the predators. I have a few English ones for nostalgic reasons - they came from a woodland at my childhood home, dug up before donating the woodland to the neighbouring village, where it's being carefully tended by volunteers. Not many bees around yet in my garden, so perhaps this year's flowers will survive another year.

I think I'm right in saying that would be illegal now, wouldn't it?

[Bryn]

I think I'm right in saying that would be illegal now, wouldn't it?

Strictly, yes, but whether the law is applied in all cases is moot. The very healthy locally sourced wild Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus, not the fastigiate originally suggested as a replacement by the local Tree Officer when the old, dead and much missed Betula pendula had to be taken down) I transplanted to my back garden a couple of decades ago, was chosen in the full knowledge of the Tree Officer, as to its source. It was/is a rescue tree. It was a heathly sapling saved from the bulldozers when a new road was pushed thorugh, a few hundred metres away. No objection was raised, indeed the choice was welcomed.

[french frank]

I think I'm right in saying that would be illegal now, wouldn't it?

I did think so at the time. But as they were My Bluebells on My Property at the time, I decided to overrule myself. Garden escapes were already in evidence not far away.

[Serial_Apologist]

I did think so at the time. But as they were My Bluebells on My Property at the time, I decided to overrule myself. Garden escapes were already in evidence not far away.

[oddoneout]

I did think so at the time. But as they were My Bluebells on My Property at the time, I decided to overrule myself. Garden escapes were already in evidence not far away.

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/trees-woods-and-wildlife/plants-and-fungi/woodland-wildflowers/bluebell/?utm_source=/bluebells&utm_medium=furl

Which says that the illegality is (landowners)digging up for sale, so even now you would be in the clear.
Interestingly the second flower picture on this is of a Spanish bluebell...but it does demonstrate why bees would find it easier to forage(aargh, that came out as farage first attempt) the foreigner.

[french frank]

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/vis...tm_medium=furl

Which says that the illegality is (landowners)digging up for sale, so even now you would be in the clear.
Interestingly the second flower picture on this is of a Spanish bluebell...but it does demonstrate why bees would find it easier to forage(aargh, that came out as farage first attempt) the foreigner.

Actually, in view of the garden escapes, I thought of it in the same light as rescuing protected birds eggs facing some sort of threat, in order to incubate and rear the young chicks safely

Well, the anthers are quite conspicuous in the English bluebell, being such a clear creamy-white. The best way to tell if plants have been cross fertilised is that colour: if the anthers show signs of green, blue or purple they're probably heading for Spain. The leaves and stems will grow thicker, the bells paler and more open and 'bell-like' than tubular, and the growth will be upright rather than that characteristic graceful arching of the stems when the flowers are in full bloom.