Peach-leaved bellflower

Peach-leaved bellflower: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Low leaf rosette with slender, upright flower stems 60–90 cm tall; 30–45 cm wide.

Leaves

Narrow, lance-shaped and glossy green, like the leaves of a peach tree; in mild winters the rosette stays green.

Flower

Broad, open bells 3–5 cm across along the upper half of the stem, from June to August.

Colour

Bright lavender to sky blue, or pure white.

Fruit

Small capsules full of very fine seed.

Roots

Short, creeping runners with which the clump slowly spreads.

Flowering: June–August · Sowing: March–April · Plants: March–April and September–October · Pruning: June–August

Why grow it?

• Weeks of flowers, from June to August, especially if you remove the spent bells.
• An elegant cut flower with long, straight stems.
• Bees, including specialist bellflower bees, collect its pollen.
• Takes up little room: the slender stems fit between other plants.
• Grows in sun and partial shade and on almost any soil.

Peach-leaved bellflower: where does it grow best?

• Sun or partial shade; it flowers most freely in full sun.
• Almost any well-drained soil: sand, loam or clay, from acid to chalky.
• Dry to normally moist; it dislikes wet feet in winter.
• Allow 30–40 cm between plants and set them in small groups among other perennials.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry or normal

Size

0.8 m tall, 0.3 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -35 °C)

Goes well with

• Roses: Blue bells among pink or white roses, in the same sunny border.
• Lady’s mantle: Soft green leaves and lime-green flowers at its feet.
• Cranesbill: Low flowers in the same months, also in partial shade.
• Shasta daisy: White daisies beside the blue: a fresh summer combination.

Peach-leaved bellflower: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and September–October.

1. Plant in March–April or in September–October.
2. Loosen the soil and mix in some compost.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as it was in the pot, with the rosette just above the soil.
4. Keep 30–40 cm apart.
5. Water in, and again in dry spells during the first weeks.
6. Seedlings sown indoors in spring are grown on in small pots and planted out in September.

Care

Water

Once established, only during long dry spells.

Feeding

A little compost in spring; more is not needed.

Deadheading

Remove the spent bells every week and new buds will keep opening.

Support

In a windy spot the stems may flop; a few twiggy sticks between them help.

Cut flowers

Cut the stems when the first bells are open; the buds will still open in the vase.

Tip: Plant it among lower perennials or roses: the slender stems rise airily above them, while the rosettes take up little room at ground level.

Peach-leaved bellflower: when to prune it?

Pruning months: June–August.

When: No real pruning is needed. From June to August remove the spent bells, and after the last flowers the flower stems.

How:

• Snip off each spent bell just below the flower with small scissors.
• Once a whole stem has finished, cut it back to the leaf rosette.
• At the end of summer, leave a few stems with seed capsules if you want seedlings.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed

In March–April indoors: scatter the fine seed on moist seed compost and do not cover it, as it needs light to germinate. Keep it in a light, cool place and prick the seedlings out into small pots.

Division

In March or September, lift the clump and split it into pieces with rosettes and roots. Replant straight away.

Peach-leaved bellflower: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −35 °C.

• Fully hardy, to about −35 °C: in Belgium no protection is needed.
• In mild winters the leaf rosette stays green.
• Wet soil is more dangerous than frost: choose a spot that drains well.

Diseases and pests

• Slugs: They love the rosettes and young shoots. Pick them off in the evening, especially in spring.
• Rust: Orange pustules on the undersides of the leaves. Remove affected leaves and give it an airy spot.
• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves, especially in dry weather. Water and remove affected parts.
• Flopping stems: Too much shade or soil that is too rich makes the stems weak. Give more light and no extra feed.

Through the year

• March: Sow indoors. Plant or divide. Give compost.
• April: Sow indoors. Plant. Watch for slugs.
• May: Prick out seedlings into small pots and grow them on outside. The flower stems grow.
• June: Flowering begins. Remove spent bells.
• July: Full bloom. Remove spent bells. Cut flowers.
• August: Last flowers. Cut off spent stems; leave a few for seed.
• September: Plant, including your own seedlings. Divide.
• October: Plant.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The species name persicifolia means ‘with leaves like the peach’.
• Campanula is Latin for ‘little bell’.
• Some wild bees, such as the bellflower scissor bees, collect pollen only from bellflowers.