[Joanna Savage]

These bluebells were naturalised in the garden 20 years ago and continue to spread in the shade. (300 metres southern Apennines, Toscana). I have seen them in other well established gardens, but not, I think, in the wild. Perhaps they have been introduced to this area at some time.
ID help would be appreciated. Do they differ from the carpets of bluebells I have seen in the woodland at Kew Gardens?-

[Cali]

They look a lot like my naturalised Hyacinthoides hispanica which are flourishing in shaded areas (even under cypress) right now.

[Alisdair]

Yes, they're the Spanish bluebell, Hyacinthoides hispanica. The English bluebell has longer more tubular flowers, generally a darker blue.

[Jill S]

A further way of differentiating is that the Spanish Bluebell produces its flowers all around the stem while the English Bluebell, Hyacinthoides non-scripta (syn. Scilla non-scripta), has flowers only on one side of the stem. Crosses between the two can be very confused, and confusing.

[Jill S]

Thanks Alisdair, I went back in to modify after checking and found that you'd already done it for me. I noted when looking for the latest name that the RHS now seem to have substituted 'Italian' for 'Spanish'. Even more confusion!!

[Alisdair]

Indeed, Jill - especially as there is a real "Italian Bluebell", Hyacinthoides italica

[Jill S]

Must check on the differences between Spanish and Italian.

Having just overdosed on bluebell photos, at a non-technical level the Italian version seems to cluster its flowers more towards the top of the stem (and they appear to open far more widely, look very Squill like) while the Spanish flowers are spread out along the stem and retain their bell shape.

How many more versions are there to confuse me? (and don't mention the 'Scottish Bluebell', that is something else again)

[Joanna Savage]

Many thanks for your help. It seems to be another taxonomic can of worms.