Carpathian bellflower

Carpathian bellflower: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Compact, rounded clumps 20–25 cm tall and about 30 cm wide.

Leaves

Small, heart-shaped to oval and toothed, fresh green, mainly at the base of the plant.

Flowers

Broad, open bells of 3–5 cm, each on a slender stem and facing upwards, from June to August.

Colour

Blue, violet or white.

Roots

Fibrous, with a short rhizome; dislikes wet feet.

Flowering: June–August · Sowing: February–March · Plants: March–May and September · Pruning: March and August

Why grow it?

• A long summer display, from June to August, with flowers that are large for such a small plant.
• Compact and low: ideal for the front of the border, rock gardens, walls and pots.
• Bees and bumblebees love crawling into the open bells.
• Easy to raise from seed; sown early, it flowers in its first year.
• Fully hardy and little work on well-drained soil.

Carpathian bellflower: where does it grow best?

• Sun or light partial shade; in too much shade it flowers less.
• Well-drained sandy or loamy soil, acid, neutral or chalky.
• Dry to average soil: it must not sit wet in winter.
• Space plants 25–30 cm apart.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry or normal

Size

0.25 m tall, 0.3 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -35 °C)

Goes well with

• Thyme: A low, fragrant neighbour for the same sunny, dry spot.
• Stonecrop: Low and drought-tolerant, flowering after the bellflower.
• Pink: Pink flowers and grey leaves at the edge of the border.
• Lavender: Taller purple spikes behind the low clumps.

Carpathian bellflower: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–May and September.

1. Plant in March–May or in September, when the soil is not wet.
2. Improve heavy soil with coarse sand or fine gravel so that water drains away well.
3. Dig a hole slightly larger than the pot and set the plant at the same depth as in the pot; do not bury the crown.
4. Space plants 25–30 cm apart.
5. Water well at planting, then only when the soil is dry.
6. In a pot: use potting compost mixed with a third coarse sand or perlite, in a pot with a drainage hole.

Care

Watering

During long dry spells, especially in pots. Never let the soil become waterlogged.

Feeding

At most a little compost in spring; too much fertiliser gives floppy clumps.

Spent flowers

Remove them regularly: it then keeps flowering for longer.

Slugs

Protect the young shoots in spring: slugs are its worst enemy.

Rejuvenating

Divide the clumps every 3–4 years in spring to keep them compact and free-flowering.

Tip: Plant it in well-drained soil and protect the young shoots from slugs in spring: it will then flower all summer, year after year.

Carpathian bellflower: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March and August.

When: During flowering, remove spent flowers; in August, after the main flush, trim the plant lightly. In March, clear away old stems.

How:

• Cut off spent flowers with their little stalk down to the leaves.
• After the main flush, trim the whole clump lightly for a neat shape and sometimes a small second flush.
• In March, remove dead stems and leaves before new growth starts.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed

Indoors in February–March at 15–20 °C. The seed is very fine: scatter it on the surface and do not cover it, as it needs light to germinate. Prick out the seedlings and plant them out in May.

Division

In spring: lift the clump and split it into pieces with their own roots.

Cuttings

In spring: cut 5 cm young shoots from the base and root them in gritty cutting compost.

Carpathian bellflower: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −35 °C.

• Fully hardy, to about −35 °C.
• Frost is no problem, wet soil in winter is: make sure drainage is good, especially in pots.
• In winter, stand pots against a wall, out of the rain, on pot feet.

Diseases and pests

• Slugs and snails: They devour young shoots and flower buds. Pick them off in the evening and keep the area around the plant open and dry.
• Root rot: In wet, heavy soil the plant wilts and rots. Replant in a better-drained spot or raise the soil with gravel.
• Rust: Orange pustules on the undersides of the leaves. Remove affected leaves and do not put them on the compost heap.
• Fewer flowers: Too much shade or clumps that are too old. Give more sun and divide the plant.

Through the year

• February: Sow indoors at 15–20 °C.
• March: Clear away old stems. Sow indoors. Planting and dividing.
• April: Planting. Watch out for slugs.
• May: Plant out seedlings. Planting.
• June: Flowering begins. Remove spent flowers.
• July: Full flower. Remove spent flowers. Water during dry spells.
• August: Last flowers. Trim lightly after the main flush.
• September: Planting.
• November: Move pots out of the rain.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The name Campanula means ‘little bell’: it comes from the Latin campana, meaning bell.
• Unlike most bellflowers, its flowers do not hang down but face upwards.
• In the wild it grows on rocks and in rock crevices in the Carpathians.