Large-flowered bellwort

Large-flowered bellwort: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Perennial 40–60 cm tall and 25–30 cm wide, with arching, branched stems from a creeping rhizome.

Leaves

Oval to lance-shaped, 5–12 cm, soft green, slightly hairy beneath; the stem passes through the leaf.

Flowers

Pendant bells 3–5 cm long with narrow, slightly twisted petals, in April–May.

Colour

Pale yellow to golden yellow.

Roots

A creeping, fleshy rhizome that spreads very slowly.

Flowering: April–May · Plants: March–April and September–October

Why grow it?

• Pendant yellow bells in April and May, just as the woodland garden wakes up.
• Soft green, graceful foliage that stays attractive all summer.
• Very hardy and maintenance-free, even under trees.
• A calm, elegant woodland plant, ideal in a natural shade garden.
• Spreads gradually without becoming invasive.

Large-flowered bellwort: where does it grow best?

• Partial shade: under deciduous trees or in a sheltered corner with morning sun.
• Humus-rich, loose, moisture-retentive soil: loam or clay enriched with leaf mould; acid to neutral.
• Normal to slightly moist soil; it must never stay dry for long.
• Sheltered from strong wind. Allow 25–30 cm between plants, then leave it undisturbed.

Light

Partial shade and shade

Soil type

Loam or clay

Acidity

Acid or neutral

Moisture

Normal

Size

0.5 m tall, 0.3 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

• Solomon’s seal: Similar arching habit and a nice contrast in leaf shape.
• Ferns: A fresh green backdrop for the yellow bells.
• Hosta: Large leaves at the base, in the same partial shade.
• Bleeding heart: Pendant pink and white flowers at the same time.

Large-flowered bellwort: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and September–October.

1. Plant in March–April or in September–October, when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged.
2. Dig a generous hole and mix in leaf mould or leaf compost.
3. Lay the rhizome horizontally about 5 cm below the surface; for a potted plant, at the same depth as in the pot.
4. Space plants 25–30 cm apart; groups of 3–5 plants give the best effect.
5. Water in straight away and spread a layer of leaf compost around the plant.

Care

Water

Keep the soil evenly moist, especially in the first year and in dry summers.

Feeding

Usually not needed. A thin layer of compost or leaf mould in spring is enough.

Mulching

A layer of leaf compost or fallen leaves keeps the soil cool and moist and feeds the woodland-type soil.

Slugs

Young shoots in April are vulnerable: check them for slugs.

Disturbance

Leave it undisturbed for as long as possible: moving it sometimes costs a year of flowers.

Tip: Avoid moving it: it is slow and sometimes resents a move. A good first spot in humus-rich soil is the best investment.

Large-flowered bellwort: when to prune it?

When: Hardly necessary; tidy up the dead foliage in autumn or late winter.

How:

• Cut the dried, yellowed stems down to just above the ground in autumn or March.
• You can also leave them in place: they rot down into leaf mould.
• If there are leaf spots or disease, remove the affected foliage.

Caution: It comes up late in spring: mark the clump so that you do not damage the new shoots when weeding.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

After flowering or in September–October: carefully lift a clump and cut it with a sharp knife into pieces with roots and buds; replant straight away.

Seed

Seed germinates slowly, sometimes only after a year or two, and plants take several years to flower. Division is much faster.

Large-flowered bellwort: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

• Fully hardy, to about −30 °C: no protection is needed in Flanders.
• The foliage dies back in autumn; the rhizome overwinters underground.
• A layer of leaves or compost over the clump protects the young shoots against late frosts.
• In a pot: put it in a sheltered place and do not let the pot stand in water.

Diseases and pests

• Slugs: Nibbled young shoots in April. Collect them in the evening and scatter coarse bark around the clump.
• Drought: Brown leaf edges and early yellowing in a dry summer. Mulch and water.
• Late frost: Limp, blackened young shoots. Cover with fleece during frost; the plant usually grows back.
• No flowers: Too dense shade or recently moved. Be patient and choose a lighter spot.

Through the year

• March: Tidy dead foliage. Plant or divide. Add compost.
• April: Shoots emerge. Watch for slugs. Plant.
• May: Flowering. Apply mulch.
• June: Water in dry weather.
• July: Water in dry weather.
• August: Foliage begins to yellow.
• September: Plant or divide.
• October: Plant. Yellow foliage.
• November: Tidy foliage or leave it in place.
• December: Rest.

Did you know?

• The name Uvularia comes from the Latin uvula (the small hanging part at the back of the throat) and refers to the pendant flowers.
• The stem seems to grow through the leaf: botanists call this perfoliate foliage.
• The seeds carry a fat-rich appendage that attracts ants; they carry the seeds away and so help spread the plant.