Virginia Bluebells

Mertensia virginica

Pollinator Value

🐛 Larval Host: S14 Gnophaela latipennis is western Nearctic only, not verified in ON/QC
❄️ Winter Food Source: Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) feeds on Mertensia spp. (genus-level record); however, this western bird is not found in ON/QC. The spring ephemeral habit means no persistent winter resource is available in the Outaouais.
S57 genus-level diet record

Proximity Score: 2
Native Status: ✅ Outaouais ❌ Ottawa ✅ QC ✅ ON
Closest Direction: SE
CEC Eco-Regions: 5 – Northern Forests, 5.3 – Atlantic Highlands, 5.3.1 – Northern Appalachians and Atlantic Maritime Highlands
Rarity Notes: Ranked S3 (Vulnerable) in Ontario where it is a species at risk, found very locally along river floodplains. Ranked SU (Unrankable) in Quebec with only 1 herbarium specimen (Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, 2013). National rank N3 in Canada. Not SARA-listed.
S22 S3 ON, SU QC, N3 CA; S4 species at risk in Ontario; S54 1 QC specimen; S26 not SARA-listed
Rarity Ranks: QC SU – Unrankable, ON S3 – Vulnerable
Migration: Stable
Ecological Context: A spring ephemeral of rich, moist floodplain forests and bottomland woodlands. Typically found on alluvial soils along rivers and streams, often in association with sugar maple, ash, and elm canopies. In Ontario, nearly all native occurrences are associated with river floodplains. Forms sizable colonies in semi-shaded floodplain areas, competing with species such as wood nettle (Laportea canadensis).
S7 rich forests, floodplains; S10 floodplain/bottomland/mesic woodlands; S4 moist woods, river bottoms

Roles: Fortress/Barrier, Living Mulch, Pollinator Attractor
S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fortress/Barrier: S61 keyword match: thorns? (supporting signal only)] | Living Mulch: S10 keyword match: forms? colon(?:y|ies) (supporting signal only)] | Pollinator Attractor: S73 [HIGH]: S64 Xerces listed (source-classified)]

Category: Pulmonary Aid, Tuberculosis Remedy, Antidote, Venereal Aid
S28 Cherokee and Iroquois medicinal categories
Notes: Cherokee used the plant for whooping cough (pulmonary aid) and consumption (tuberculosis). Iroquois prepared a compound infusion of roots as an antidote for poisons, and a decoction of roots for venereal disease.
S28 Moerman 4 drug uses; S61 Cherokee used for whooping cough and tuberculosis

❌ Not Edible

Foraging Notes: No documented food uses. Moerman records only medicinal uses for this species. USDA rates human palatability as none.
S28 no food category; S11 Palatable Human=No