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Rock Garden Plants A to Z:
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Campanula- (bellflower)
Campanula carpatica |
Campanula is an important genus of alpines and offers something for
everyone. Amongst the many dwarf types there are difficult tender species
which are a challenge even for the experts and there are popular ones which
are both easy and reliable in the open garden. All need well-drained soil
and the addition of lime if the ground is acid. June and July are the peak
flowering months, and Campanulas have a well-earned reputation for bearing
masses of blooms. Praised in all of the books, there are still a number of
limitations. Colors are almost entirely restricted to white and blue, and
the young foliage is especially susceptible to slug damage in spring. In
addition, a few species can be invasive and a threat to surrounding plants.
VARIETIES:
There
are two distinct flower types, depending on the species. The usual form is
a bell, sometimes held erect but more commonly pendant. The other form is
a star-like bloom.
C.
carpatica
is the most popular Campanula- height 9 in., spread 1 ft., flowering period
June - September. It bears cup-shaped bells, 1-1/2 to 2 in. across, in shade
ranging from pure white to deep blue.
C.
cochlearifolia
(Fairy
Thimbles)
is a much daintier plant- it spreads as wide as
C.
carpatica
and flowers during the same period, but it forms a ground-covering
mat and the 3 in. high flower-stalks bear small pendant bells in blue or
white. If the site is shady you can grow
C.
muralis
(C.
portenschiagiana)
- height 4 in., spread 1 ft. but do remember that it is a rampant grower
producing purple bells on trailing stems. Another vigorous species is the
starry
C.
poscharskyana
- if you want a starry-flowered Campanula which will not spread everywhere
then choose
C.
garganica
which produces compact tufts with blue or white flowers.
C.
zoysil
with
its urn-shaped flowers is an example of a hard-to-grow
campanula.
SITE
& SOIL: Any well-drained, non-acid soil- thrives in sun or
light shade.
PROPAGATION:
Sow seeds under glass or divide clumps in spring. alternatively
plant stem cuttings in a cold frame in late spring.
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