General Culture:

Easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Plants prefer cool summer climates. They are generally intolerant of the extreme heat of the deep South, and do not perform well south of USDA Zone 7. They appreciate some part afternoon shade in hot summer climates. Plants need regular and even moisture. Deadhead spent flowers to encourage additional bloom and curb any unwanted self-seeding. Cut back flowering stems to basal rosettes when stem leaves begin to fade. In optimum growing conditions, plants will spread both by self-seeding and offsets. Divide clumps every 3-4 years. Propagate by seed, cuttings or division. Seed may be planted in the garden in late spring for bloom the following year.

Noteworthy Characteristics:

Peach-leaved bellflower is a rosette-forming, upright, glabrous perennial that typically grows on stiff sturdy stems to 1 1/2 - 3' tall. It is native to open woods, shrubby slopes and mountain meadows in Europe and Asia. Plants in this species have escaped gardens and naturalized over time in a number of areas in North America including the northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada. Large, outward facing, broad bell-shaped flowers (to 1.5”) in shades of white to blue bloom in open, slender, terminal racemes atop erect, unbranched, nearly leafless stems in late spring to early summer. Stems rise from basal rosettes of narrow, toothed, leathery, bright green leaves (4-8” long). Leaves have a slight resemblance to those of the peach tree, hence the common name. Rosettes are semi-evergreen to evergreen in warm winter climates. Stem leaves are much shorter (to 4” long). Genus name is in reference to the bell-shaped flowers (campanulate corollas). Specific epithet is in reference to the leaves purportedly resembling those of the peach tree. A large number of cultivars are available in commerce including 'Chettle Charm' (see T980 herein), 'Kelly's Gold' (see B215 herein) and 'Telham Beauty' (see H490 herein).