This species may be confused with Spanish bluebells, (
Hyacinthoides hispanica). However, flowers of Spanish bluebells are larger, paler-coloured, and less scented than the English bluebell, which is very fragrant. Additionally, anthers in the Spanish bluebell are blue, while in the English bluebell they are white or cream-coloured.
Flora North America (2013) provides the following key to separate the two species:
Raceme 1-sided; flowers all becoming pendent, fragrant; tepals strongly recurved at apex; stamens unequal, outer inserted just above middle of tepals, inner near base; anthers cream. ............ 1 Hyacinthoides non-scripta
Raceme not 1-sided; at least distal flowers remaining erect, not fragrant; tepals spreading but not recurved; stamens equal, inserted below middle of tepals; anthers blue............1. Hyacinthoides hispanica
