A hardy annual, bells of Ireland grow tiny white flowers embedded in pretty green calyxes. These self-seeding flowers have a pretty fragrance and can be used for cut flowers. They can be companions planted behind tulips for a pretty mix of flowers.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Moluccella laevis, the Bells-of-Ireland, Bells of Ireland, Molucca balmis, shellflower or shell flower, is a summer flowering annual, native to Turkey, Syria and the Caucasus. It is cultivated for its spikes of flowers. In the language of flowers, it represents luck.
The tiny white flowers are surrounded by apple green calyces which are persistent. The rounded leaves are pale green.
Fast growing, Moluccella laevis will reach 1 metre (3.28 feet) and spread to 30 centimeters (11.8 inches) with an erect, branching habit.
A member of the mint family, the blooming stems can be cut and used in fresh or dried flower arrangements. The domestic plant is self-seeding, prefers full sun and regular water and is unlikely to do well in hot, humid climates.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Full sun is best for bells of Ireland. The plants need at least some morning sun to prevent them from growing too leggy, which makes them prone to flopping. Plants in shady locations will almost certainly need staking.
Watering
Keep bells of Ireland consistently moist during the vulnerable seedling and transplant stages. Soaker hoses are great for providing moisture without water-logging the plants. These plants will do well with about 1 inch of water per week. Mulch helps preserve moisture in the soil.
Soil
Make sure your bells are planted in a spot with well-draining soil. Most average garden soil is perfect for them, but compacted soils will cause problems with taproot development. Sandy soil is just fine for them, and a regular potting soil amended with agricultural sand is great for containers.
Poor-quality soils may still produce the tiny white flowers people love to add to flower arrangements, but in order to fully mature, the plants prefer good nutrition and drainage. A neutral pH of 6.5 to 7.5 is best for growing these plants.
Fertilizing
Even if you’re growing these plants indoors or in container gardens, they won’t need extra feeding beyond the fill of your garden site or pot. In areas that get hot and humid, don’t feed them as they won’t be suited to uptake nutrients in these conditions. You’re good to go if the ground you plant them in has good organic content.
Pruning
As the stems of your plant bloom, you may want to cut them for flower arrangements or bouquets. In this case, do so when the flowers are about half way open if you’re working with a fresh arrangement. For dried cut flower arrangements, cut them when they’re fully open. Wear gloves to protect your hands from the thorny stems.
Outside having a harvest of cut flowers, there is little reason to prune for cosmetic reasons. If you’d like to clean your garden after they die back, you can cut the dead stems out of the garden in winter. You can also leave them for nesting wildlife.
Propagation
Sowing seeds is the best mode of propagation. You can let the plant sow seeds naturally, allowing the plant to bloom and the flowers to release seeds for them to germinate naturally in spring. However, seeds will only sprout in areas where the climate is right.
You can also sow seeds indoors, ahead of the last frost date, by about 8 to 10 weeks. Sowing in seeds flats to be planted in the garden whole is best. Simulate the overwintering process by refrigerating your seeds for about a week first. After you wait this time, soak the seeds in water for 24 hours. You can also simulate this moisture treatment by placing the seeds in a plastic bag with a wet paper towel or napkin.
Due to their tendency to transplant shock, germinate your seeds in peat pots or our Epic 4-cells. Both allow you to avoid root disturbances. Fill these with potting soil or a slightly moisture-retentive seed starting mix with 1 part compost, 1 part peat moss, and 1 part perlite. Press the prepared seeds into the soil surface and keep them exposed to light. In a few weeks, they’ll sprout.
If you’d like to avoid the risk of transplant shock, sow seeds directly in the garden ground, but wait until the last frost date has passed. Only use this method if the climate conditions have allowed the plants to experience natural germination of seeds on their own in your garden. Keep the seeds on the soil surface, and spread a thin layer of vermiculite that will keep them from blowing away but expose them to the light they need to grow.
Potting and Repotting
Like most annuals, bells of Ireland make excellent container plants. As a tall, upright spire, it’s best planted in the center of a large container (any material will do) surrounded by colorful mounding and trailing annuals (purple and crimson flowering plants provide a lovely contrast) that will provide support for the spiky bells. Use a potting mix with fertilizer included to give the plants a good start. Water the container regularly. Check the soil using your finger. If the top inch is dry, it’s time to water.
Bells of Ireland don’t like to be transplanted, so repotting this annual isn’t advised. It’s also not a good candidate for a houseplant.
Pests and Diseases
Bells of Ireland can be subject to cerospora leaf blight, a disease that causes small flecks with yellowish halos to appear on the leaves. Crown rot can also cause the plants to wilt from the soil line up, eventually dying. Diseased plants should be removed and discarded.
Few serious garden pests threaten bells of Ireland plants, though aphids and spider mites are occasional problems.
III. Uses and Benefits
Just like potatoes do, bells of Ireland hit the spot in a variety of circumstances.
In the garden, they work amazingly in mixed borders with other annuals.
Their unusual aesthetic fits nicely within the beautiful chaos of a cottage garden, and their upright form provides many opportunities for complementary plantings within containers.
More of a florist than a landscaper? Whether gathered fresh or allowed to dry, M. laevis is a knockout in floral arrangements.
When bestowed either with or without other flowers, bells of Ireland are a beautiful way to wish somebody good luck!
After cutting the dry stems, remove the thorns and leaves before hanging them up to finish drying in a well-ventilated area.
If you want some fresh bells of Ireland for living arrangements, you should cut them when the calyces are about half open.
Make each cut diagonally, so that the stem can take up water while touching the bottom of a vase or other container. Remove the thorns and leaves, and voila! They’re ready to go.
IV. Harvesting and Storage
Bells of Ireland flowers are easy to dry and add interest to fresh-cut flower arrangements. The lime green calyxes make an attractive foil for wine or magenta-colored flowers, like Red Velvet celosia (Celosia argentea ‘Red Velvet’), globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa), or Purple Prince zinnia (Zinnia ‘Purple Prince’).
Cut the flowers when the bells are about half open for fresh flower arrangements. For dried flower arrangements, wait until the fully open bells have become firm to the touch.
The stiff calyxes of bells of Ireland last up to two weeks in fresh arrangements, but the flowers don’t maintain their green tint as dried specimens. The bells will gradually turn tan as they dry. For a fun bouquet twist, spray paint dried stems gold or silver and pair them with fresh green stems.
