bells of Ireland (Moluccella laevis), photographi

How to Grow Bells Of Ireland

Moluccella laevis

Bells Of Ireland is an annual grown for its green blooms, which open from spring through fall. Notably, it shrugs off deer. Its flowers are a moderate draw for honeybees and native bees.

Bells Of Ireland — the short answer

Bells Of Ireland: full sun, pH 6–7.5, about 90 days to maturity.

Soil pH
6–7.5
We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Sun
Full Sun
We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Days to Maturity
90 days
We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.
Frost-kill temp (growing season)
28°F
We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.

Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — each tile names its own row's source, because per-field provenance varies.

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Score Bells Of Ireland on your exact land.

Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether bells of ireland actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score bells of ireland against your land's real conditions.

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What Bells Of Ireland is

Bells Of Ireland grows as an annual and reaches around 2.5 feet at maturity. It blooms green from spring through fall. It's also deer-resistant.

Mature height, bloom period, flower colour and deer resistance: We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.

How to grow Bells Of Ireland

Bells Of Ireland does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 6 to 7.5, on well-drained ground. It needs around 1,200 growing degree days to mature and a growing season of at least 60 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.

USDA Zones

Grown as an annual — see the growing season

Soil pH

6 - 7.5

We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.

Sun

Full Sun

We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.

Drainage

well (dry spells)

We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.

Frost Kill Temperature

28°F

Where cold starts killing growing tissue. Not a winter-survival floor — a dormant perennial takes far colder, which its hardiness zone answers.

We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.

Days to Maturity

90 days

We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.

GDD Required

1200+

Growing degree-days of accumulated warmth it needs to mature — humid summers reach this faster than cool coastal ones.

We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.

Mature Height

2.5 ft

We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.

Frost-Free Days

60+

The frost-free stretch it needs start to finish — short-season areas may need an indoor head start.

Growable Ground plant catalog

  1. Start the season right

    Plant bells of ireland in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun. It grows in the cool halves of the year, so sow it in spring or late summer rather than waiting for midsummer heat. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.

  2. Match the soil

    Bells Of Ireland prefers pH 6 to 7.5. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.

  3. Water steadily

    Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.

  4. Harvest at its peak

    Cut bells of ireland blooms in the cool of the morning, just as they open, for the longest display.

Where Bells Of Ireland thrives

Whether bells of ireland thrives on a given site comes down to its soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates — the conditions that vary parcel to parcel.

Good to know

Bells Of Ireland offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.

Your land is one point inside Bells Of Ireland's range

This page resolves to the species. Your state page draws the county line, and a report reads the parcel — the soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates on your exact ground, which no species average can see.

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See if Bells Of Ireland will thrive on your land

Zone averages are a start. Your soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether bells of ireland actually takes. We score it against the mapped and modelled conditions at your address.

Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:

Your soil pHYour frost-free daysYour sun & shade

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

25+ data sources analyzed in seconds

How we know this about Bells Of Ireland

The figures above are cited per row, not per site: the pH band names this plant’s own source column, the three temperature figures each carry their own, and days-to-maturity cites the publication that actually lists it. All of it comes from the Growable Ground Plant Database — a compilation over FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources, published openly with per-field provenance.

Grounded inUSDA PLANTS Database

Frequently asked questions

Can I grow Bells Of Ireland in my zone?

Bells Of Ireland is grown as an annual, so a hardiness zone does not decide it — its growing season follows your last and first frost dates. Soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.

When should you plant Bells Of Ireland?

Bells Of Ireland is a cool-season crop, so it goes in during the cool halves of the year — early spring, and again in late summer for a fall planting — rather than at the height of summer heat. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.

How much sun does Bells Of Ireland need?

Bells Of Ireland needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.

What soil does Bells Of Ireland need?

Bells Of Ireland prefers soil pH 6 to 7.5, on well-drained ground. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet. Your report scores your parcel's mapped soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.

Does Bells Of Ireland attract pollinators?

Yes — bells of ireland's flowers are a solid nectar source for honeybees and native bees. We haven't confirmed this against a published source yet.