Campanula
Bellflower, Canterbury bells
- Height × spread
- 0.1m – 1.5m × 0.15m – 1.5m
- Position
- All conditions
Availability
Generally available in Spring & Summer
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
The bell flowers, as the name suggests, are grown for the charm of their blooms rather than their foliage interest. (The exception being dainty gold foliaged forms such as 'Dickson's Gold'.) They come in a range of sizes from ground hugging to a towering 1.5 metres or more. The ground hugging forms come as dainty or rumbustious. The latter being the 'poscharskyana' forms which can trail and flower over an extensive area. The neat forms are in the majority and will just gently spread. Going up in the world there are pleasing mid-height forms from the quietly elegant 'alliarifolia' and beautiful, variably vigorous forms such as 'glomerata' and reliable 'latifolia' varieties for example. The giants are the 'lactiflora' forms which provide a splendid show of flowers but which may need staking. All of them love the sun and are generally loved by slugs and snails.
- Flower colour
- Blue, Brown, Cream, Grey, Lavender, Lilac, Mauve, Pink, Purple, Red, Violet, White
- Foliage colour
- Green, Grey, Yellow
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- Yes, some varieties
- Shape
- Bell, Column, Cube, Dome, Fan
- Height
- 0.1m – 1.5m
- Spread
- 0.15m – 1.5m
- Season of interest
- Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Evergreen
- Evergreen
- Garden style
- Wild flower meadow, Small scale garden, Shady court, Seaside garden, Scented garden, Rock garden, Prairie garden, Mediterranean garden, Indoors, Cottage garden, Conservatory
- Sun or shade
- All conditions
- Soil type
- All types
- Soil pH
- All types
- Drainage
- Moisture retentive soil, Well drained soil, Dry soil, Drought resistant
- Winter hardiness
- Varies, some are not hardy
- Borders & containers
- Borders
- Indoor light
- full light at all times
- Indoor temperature
- 7C minimum temperature
- Use for
- Wall cover, Ground cover, Bedding plant, Bee attraction
- Maintenance
- Easycare – low/no maintenance
- Hazards
- No
Spring
Spring-Autumn · Indoors
Feed with houseplant food monthly
Give the plant a balanced houseplant feed monthly while in growth.
Where food elements are listed as three numeric values on the label representing in order Nitrogen(N)-Phosphorus(P)-Potassium(K), with percentage values for each, choose one where the values are more or less equal.
Spring-Autumn · Indoors
Water regularly during growth
Water regularly while in growth.
Adopt a regime that means the plants are thoroughly watered every week so that they do not become dessicated. In hot weather watering may need to be more frequent, but less often in cool or moist conditions.
Spring-Winter · Indoors
Mist the plant daily
Soft or rain water is preferred as it doesn't mark the foliage. Don't mist when the plant is in sunshine or the foliage could be scorched.
Mist the plant daily.
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Water in dry periods
Established plants in the ground can cope with 7-10 days of dryness, and shrubs often manage 2 to 3 weeks. Water one section of the garden thoroughly each day rather than a little everywhere. Check plants in pots more often, especially in hot weather.
Spring - early-mid · Planting
Divide when too large
The plant can be divided if it becomes too large or another plant is required. This may involve physically dividing the clump in two, removing offsets or small bulbs or dividing rhizomes. The new plants can be grown in pots or planted in the ground.
Spring-Autumn · Planting
Protect from slugs & snails
Protect young plants and new growth from slugs; mature plants can withstand slugs though damage affects their appearance. Apply nematodes in Spring. Or sprinkle organic slug pellets thinly around plants. Barrier methods, eg copper tape, may help.
Winter
Winter-Spring · Indoors
Water lightly in winter
The soil should remain just moist during the cold months when the plant is not in growth. Trickle a little water onto the soil surface every couple of weeks if the soil is dry. Do nothing if it is moist.
The roots remain active in winter and benefit from small amounts of moisture so they don't become completely desiccated.
Planting & general
Outdoors
Feed & mulch some rose varieties differently
To keep roses healthy and produce more flowers, feed during the growing season before and after flowering. Roses in containers should be fed more often than those planted in the ground, every two weeks from mid spring to late summer. Adding a mulch around the base of a rose will trap moisture and enrich the soil as it biodegrades.
Outdoors
Water some varieties differently
Some plants within this genus have additional requirements for water. It is best to look up your specific plant, or the species it belongs to for watering guidance.
Planting
Prune some varieties
Some plants within this genus have additional requirements for pruning. It is best to look up your specific plant, or the species it belongs to for pruning guidance.
Planting
Support some varieties
Some plants within this genus may require support for young plants and/or long stems. It is best to look up your specific plant for guidance, and/or check the label.
Compost · Planting
Loam based houseplant compost for repotting
Buy container or house plant compost that is loam based if possible (i.e. is based on John Innes compost number 2 or 3. This contains more fertiliser and is better suited to established plants.
John Innes no. 1 has the lowest level of fertiliser and is used for seedlings and young plants, so is generally used where plants will be 'potted on' after a number of weeks.
Indoor temperature · Planting
7C minimum temperature
This plant requires a minimum temperature of 7 Centigrade.
Planting
Divide some varieties differently
Some plant varieties within this genus have different requirements for dividing them when they get big. It is best to look up your specific plant, or the species it belongs to for guidance, and/or check the label.
Indoor plant · Planting
Position in a sunny spot, close to window
Give this plant a position where there is as much light and sunlight as possible, within 2-3 metres of a sunny or bright window (one that is south, east, or west facing).
Found in
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