This group of perennials produces long-lasting, bell-shaped blossoms, including rare blue-hued flowers.
No matter how they’re held, the display of blooms will always be abundant.
Bellflowers areamong the most popular blue flowers, a rare hue in the plant world.
Credit:Denny Schrock
With that in mind, there are some general tips for meeting bellflower care needs.
When looking for a place to plant your bellflowers, know that most speciesprefer well-drained soil.
A few exceptions can handle moist soils and, in some cases, persistent wetness.
Credit: Denny Schrock
However, many smaller alpine species prefer the opposite and like to grow in sharply drained soil.
These types may even grow in rock walls, trough gardens, and other less-than-ideal places.
Most bellflowers willperform best in full sun.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Sunshine also helps prevent taller varieties from flopping and needing stakes.
Many of the campanula species spread not only by seed but also by underground rhizomes.
These plants can be extremely vigorous growers, potentially becoming invasive.
Credit: Stephen Cridland
Some species are already classified as such, and you should take caution before planting them.
Check with local agencies, and research specific varieties if you have concerns.
Eliminating these plants can be challenging once they’re established.
Credit: Jeff McNamara
Some varieties can also be planted in the fall.
After filling in the hole, tamp down the soil with your hand.
Give the plant a generous drink, thenadd a layer of mulcharound it to conserve moisture.
Credit: Dean Schoeppner
Read the label of the variety you purchase for more specific care instructions.
Soil and Water
Most often, you’ll want to seek well-drained soil when planting bellflowers.
However, some types will tolerate moist, even occasionally wet, soil.
Credit: Courtesy of Terra Nova Nursery
Soil pH requirements vary from species to species, though most tend to perform well in neutral soil.
While you should follow thecare instructions on your plant’s label, there are some general watering guidelines.
Early morning is the best time to give your bellflower a drink.
Credit: Denny Schrock
That way, the leaves can dry off as the temperature rises.
Temperature and Humidity
For most varieties, warm days and cool nights yield the best growth.
Some species won’t survive long if nighttime temperatures stay above 70F and conditions are humid.
Credit: Roy Inman
When using granular formulations, avoid the leaves and crown to protect the plant from burns.
Slow-release fertilizers should be used sparingly, because these can promote root rot in bellflowers.
Pruning
Deadheading, or removing spent blossoms, can encourage some species to produce more flowers.
Credit: Jim Westphalen
As summer progresses, you may want to trim off any foliage that is past its prime.
Rust may appear as light-colored leaf spots and red-orange pustules on the underside of leaves.
This is more likely to occur when conditions are damp.
Credit: Bob Stefko
Eventually, infected foliage may turn brown and shrivel up.
If you notice diseased leaves, pluck and destroy them.
Proper spacing can reduce the risk of this problem.
Credit: Jay Wilde
Seed
Some bellflowers reseed on their own.
Keep the soil moist and warm, between 65F and 70F.
Expect seedlings to emerge within 20 to 30 days.
Credit:Better Homes and Gardens
Move them to a sunny location until they’re 3 to 4 inches tall.
After 3 to 4 weeks, apply fertilizer according to package directions.
Place the seedlings outdoors once they have four leaves, but don’t plant them right away.
Credit: Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke
First they need to be hardened off, which means slowly acclimated to outdoor conditions.
Place the tray in a protected area shielded from wind and heat.
If frost is a possibility, bring the tray back indoors for the night.
Credit: Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke
After a week, you could plant your seedlings in the ground.
Water regularly to keep the soil moist.
This can help stop the plant from spreading indiscriminately.
Credit: Illustration by Gary Palmer
As you carefully dig up your bellflower, double-check you extract all of the roots.
Pull or cut the clump apart into a few sections, making sure each has roots and new growth.
Transplant the divided plants as quickly as possible.
Credit: Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke
Many species bloom in the summer, so cuttings should be taken in the spring.
For spring bloomers, take cuttings in summer or early fall.
Cut about 4 inches from the end of the stem right underneath a node.
Credit: Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke
(you’re free to use a pencil to pre-poke a hole.)
After covering the pot in plastic, place it in a warm, well-lit spot.
It makes a great rock garden plant.
Credit: Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke
This variety is hardy in Zones 47.
Campanula Raddeana
Campanula raddeanagrows to a foot tall and produces 1-inch-diameter, bell-shape flowers in the midsummer.
It is hardy in Zones 58.
Clustered Bellflower
Campanula glomeratasports tight clusters of purple blooms on 2-foot-tall stalks in early summer.
It quickly spreads to form a large mat.
It is hardy in Zones 38 and can be invasive, especially if you have moist soil.
Peach-Leaf Bellflower
Campanula persicifoliagrows a foot tall and wide with fine foliage.
In early summer, it sends up wiry stems with violet, blue-violet, pink, or white flowers.
It is hardy in Zones 38.
It reblooms all summer if deadheaded regularly.
This cultivar is hardy in Zones 47.
The blossoms rise a foot above the foliage on plants that spread to 18 inches wide.
It reblooms throughout the summer if faded flower stalks are removed.
This cultivar spreads to form a large clump and is hardy in Zones 48.
White Canterbury Bells
Campanula medium’Alba' is a biennial that produces dramatic 3-foot-tall white flower spires.
It is hardy in Zones 58.
White Peach-Leaf Bellflower
Campanula persicifolia’Alba' bears pure-white flowers in summer.
It grows 3 feet tall and wide and is hardy in Zones 38.
Most types are biennialsthey need two years to bloom, then die in the fall.
(They’ll do fine in full sun in the northern third of the country.)
These tall plants also need to be out of any wind.
Plants may rebloom if deadheaded after the first flush of bloom.
Phlox needs moist soil for optimal health.
Deadheading not only prolongs bloom but also prevents self-seeding.
Unfortunately, Jupiter’s beard has escaped from gardens and become a non-native wildflower in some regions.
Six ‘Birch Hybrid’ bellflowers and three milky bellflowers contribute to the vibrant display.
A trio of ‘Pearl Deep Blue’ bellflowers brings a pop of blue to the front of the flowerbed.
Seven Serbian bellflowers form a mat of low-lying color.
This can be advantageous if you want a groundcover.
However, as noted above, some varieties can become invasive.
It depends on the variety.
Certain types of bellflower, such as clustered bellflower and Carpathian bellflower, are known to be deer-resistant.
Taller types may benefit from some support, although planting them in full sun will help keep them upright.
Bamboo stakes are a good option for bellflowersjust double-check to moisten them before driving them into the ground.
you’re free to also try metal stakes or tomato stakes.
