Bells of Ireland

Botanical Name: Moluccella laevis
Common Name: Shell Flower
Meaning: Good Luck
Cultivation: Partial shade to full sun in well drained soil
Colors: Tiny white flowers surrounded by green calyx
Uses: A wonderful dried flower for adding line and accent
Regions: Warm tropical regions of the world

Bells of Ireland is a hardy plant with pale green bell shaped calyx formed along green stems. The bells are borne, densely packed, up and down the tall strong stem. They bears small white flowers within the green bell shaped calyces. They are prized both as a fresh and a dried plant. They provide spikes which is ideal a soutline material for larger arrangements.

Drying Bells of Ireland
To cut Bells of Ireland for drying, simply cut the stem when the calyces are fresh, remove the leaves, and hang upside down. Dry them in a cool, dark, airy location, and pick the sparse prickly textured leaves off the stems so that the Bells become more conspicuous. Remove the thorns below each leave. These thorns may fade the colors of the flowers. The dried flowers can be sprayed with a light rose or oastel color. After that they can be sprayed with a light dusting of gold.

They can also be preserved by using glycerin. Pick the foliage and remove damaged leaves. Cut the stems in an angle. Make a glycerine solution by mixing two parts of hot water with one part glycerine and stir thoroughly. Allow the mixture to cool a bit. Place the conditioned stems in the solution. Check the material, a brown glycerine solution is taken up the veins of the leaves and when it reaches the top, take them out of the solution.

Uses
Dried Bells of Ireland are beautiful flowers for arrangement adding lines and accent. They look best tall and in criss cross placement. They provide distinctive indoor decoration. They are higly valued for their ornamental and medicinal uses.