Flower profile
Tall bluebell
Mertensia paniculata
Tall bluebell (Mertensia paniculata) is a low shrub in the Boraginaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly May–July across the U.S.
Tall bluebell is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Alaska it's most often seen in bloom in June–July.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Alaska
Quick look
Mertensia paniculata, also known as the tall lungwort, tall bluebells, or northern bluebells, is an herb or dwarf shrub with drooping, bright-blue, bell-shaped flowers. It is native to northwestern North America and the Great Lakes.
- It belongs to the Boraginaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a subshrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 10 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Alaska. NatureServe
- In Alaska, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–July. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 1,664 research-grade sightings of it in Alaska, ranking #20 among the 121 flowers on our Alaska list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
In Alaska, most flowering sightings come in June–July.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Alaska
- No list Alaska has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alaska ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Alaska.
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: IA (S2). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records tall bluebell in 10 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin.
Alaska counties with USDA records: Anchorage, Bethel, Chugach, Copper River, Denali, Dillingham, Fairbanks North Star, Kenai Peninsula, Lake and Peninsula, Matanuska-Susitna, Nome, North Slope, Northwest Arctic, Southeast Fairbanks, Yukon-Koyukuk.
Names, range and relatives
Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Alaska: Native; Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 99 counties across 8 states; the most are in Washington (23), Idaho (16), Oregon (16).
Other Mertensia on Bloomipedia (4): Virginia bluebells, Mountain bluebells, Prairie bluebells, Oysterplant.
More from the Boraginaceae family (42 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Virginia waterleaf, Pacific hound's tongue, Distant phacelia, Alkali heliotrope, Virginia stickseed, Wild comfrey, Menzies' baby blue eyes, California yerba santa.
More Alaska flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile MEPA.
- iNaturalist, Mertensia paniculata: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Mertensia paniculata (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Alaska: Alaska prohibited and restricted noxious weeds (11 AAC 34.020).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Mertensia paniculata (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
- Photo: Vic via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.