Day 210: Sprangly, bushy, tall Mertensia paniculata would seem to be a weed if it wasn't for its pretty "bluebell" flowers. Also called "tall bluebells" or "lungwort," the scientific name distinguishes it from several other unrelated plants commonly referred to as "bluebells." They include Campanula ("Scotch bluebell" or "Harebell" and "Scouler's bluebell") and Hyacinthoides non-scripta ("Scilla," aka "English Wood Hyacinth"), the latter a garden plant which can be considered delightful or a nuisance, depending on your point of view. To my way of thinking, use of a scientific name eliminates confusion, and in fact often describes a feature which is helpful in identifying a species. In this case, "paniculata" refers to the panicled inflorescence, i.e., flowers hanging loosely from multiple branches off a main stem.
Mertensia paniculata likes moisture, so look for it in meadows and along streams, or in other damp locations. It may stand up to five feet in height. The flowers appear among the topmost leaves, and although they are usually blue, occasionally a pink one will appear within the same inflorescence. Shouldn't those be called "pinkbells" if one follows the illogical convention of common names?
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