General Culture:

Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Prefers full sun in cool northern climates and part shade in hot summer climates. Best with some light afternoon shade in the St. Louis area. Needs regular moisture. Best in neutral to slighly alkaline soils. Divide clumps in fall every 3-4 years. Spreads freely and agressively by both rhizomes and self-seeding under optimum growing conditions. Cut back stems after flowering to promote later rebloom and to prevent any unwanted self-seeding.

Noteworthy Characteristics:

This species of Campanula, sometimes commonly called great bellflower, is a tall, coarse, upright bellflower that is native from Europe to Kashmir. It is a clump-forming perennial that typically grows 3-4’ (less frequently to 5’) tall. Large, tubular, bell-like, purplish-blue flowers (to 2.5” long) appear in the upper leaf axils and in short terminal clusters (racemes) in early summer. Unbranched, hairy stems rise up from basal rosettes of ovate-oblong, toothed, stalked, hairy, medium green leaves (to 6” long). Leaves become smaller, narrower, pointed and eventually sessile as they go up the stems.