Field ManualAll plants

Photo: Salicyna, via Wikimedia CommonsLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0

Bells of Ireland

Molucella laevis

Family: Lamiaceae

Pet & Human Safety

People: No hazard foundPets: Not on the ASPCA lists as we read them
Hazardous parts
Not yet checked.
Preparation
None stated. This record does not say any part is safe to eat.
Hazard type
Not yet checked.
Hazard route
No hazard route listed: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, Moluccella laevis has no poison section for this plant. That is the absence of a listing, not a clearance.
How complete this information is
The safety information on this page is partial. Where a source covers a point, it is shown; where none does, the page says so.

Toxic to pets
No ASPCA entry found.

No source gives a verdict. Any plant can upset a pet's stomach; call a vet or the ASPCA Poison Control line if a pet eats a lot of it.

PlotAndPetal cannot tell you whether a plant you found can be eaten. Only someone who can see the plant can identify it.

Poison control

If someone has collapsed, cannot be woken, is having a seizure or has trouble breathing, call 911 now. For any other possible poisoning, call Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222.

Emergency number source: U.S. federal law (47 U.S.C. § 251(e)(3)), read 2026-10-07.

Naturalist Lore

Historical Background & Breeding Lore

The history of this plant and its name, and how it was bred, where we have them.

Get the app: coming soon

Care

Hardiness zones

USDA zones 2a to 11b (NC State; grown as an annual).

Water needs

consistently moist, well-drained soil

Mature size

2 to 3 feet tall and 1 to 1.5 feet wide (NC State)

Soil & Drainage
Pruning & Flush Rhythm
Feeding Schedule

How to prepare the soil, when and what to feed, and how and when to prune where that applies.

Get the app: coming soon

Anatomy & Guilds

Botanical Anatomy & Characteristics

How the flowers and leaves are built and which pollinators visit, where we have them.

Get the app: coming soon

Field Doctor

Field Doctor

What can go wrong with this plant and what to do about it, where we have them.

Get the app: coming soon

Vintage Plates

Vintage Plates

Old botanical drawings from public libraries are in the app, for plants where we have them.

Get the app: coming soon

Sources

  1. NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, Moluccella laevis
  2. UNL Extension G1774, Annuals for Nebraska Landscapes
  3. Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) name file, dated 2026-06-04
  4. ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants list

How we choose sources

Wishlists live in the app

Wishlists are part of the Plot & Petal app, which is coming soon. Nothing is added to a wishlist from this page.

Get the app: coming soon