Spotted bellflower (Campanula punctata) is a clump-forming perennial can grow to be 30 to 61 cm tall and 30 to 76 cm wide. Spotted bellflower grows best in full sunlight in moist soil. This species is considered easy to grow and produces an abundance of flowers. It attracts hummingbirds and is often cultivated in rock gardens.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Campanula punctata, the spotted bellflower, is a species of flowering plant in the bellflower family Campanulaceae. This ornamental herbaceous perennial is native to Japan, Korea, China and Siberia, and is widely cultivated for its attractive bell-shaped flowers.
The Latin specific epithet punctata means “spotted”.
It usually grows to 30–100 cm (0.98–3.28 ft) tall and broad. It has upright stems which grow with stolons. The basal leaves are long, ovate and heart-shaped. The leaves on flowering stems are rosettes, short and ovate. They are alternate and toothed. The whole plant is covered in hairs, including flowers, stems, and leaves.
The flowers bloom from June to August. They are bell-shaped and pendant. The colors range from white to pale pink. There are red spots inside the flower along with hairs.
The flower is hermaphrodite, meaning it has both male and female organs (stamen and pistil).
Campanula punctata thrives in moist, alkaline or neutral soil with full sunlight. It is reported to be extremely hardy, tolerating temperatures of −20 °C (−4 °F) and below.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
While the spotted bellflower is at home in a cooler environment, it does still enjoy full sun or partial shade. Because of this, make sure that your plant is placed in a location that receives some shade from the hot summer sun. If the spotted bellflower is situated in the direct summer sun, then the flowers may start to wilt after just a couple of days.
Temperature
Native to northern temperate regions, the spotted bellflower is suited to USDA hardiness zones 4-8. The plant thrives in temperatures around 16 to 18 ℃, and some varieties will survive cold temperatures down to -10 ℃. Although they prefer a cool summer, the spotted bellflower can survive in temperatures up to 26 ℃, as long as they are regularly watered. If the temperature exceeds this, then the flowers will die, and the plant may not bloom again that year.
The spotted bellflower is a flowering plant that adds a whimsical feel to many gardens across the world. Depending on the climate, it will generally bloom from the beginning of summer through to the first frost. While they are reasonably easy to care for, you will need to regularly check that they have enough water in order to prevent the delicate flowers from wilting.
Watering
The spotted bellflower requires lots of water to produce its attractive, colorful, bell-like flowers. This is especially true in warm climates. If you do not water your plant regularly, then it will quickly wilt and stop producing flowers. Typically, the spotted bellflower will need watering twice a week in warmer weather, but a good tip is to feel the soil before watering. It should be just slightly moist, but not water-logged or dry.
Soil
The optimum soil for your spotted bellflower is fertile soil with a pH of 6-8, meaning neutral to alkaline. The soil must not dry too quickly, but should still be well-draining. Because of this, soils such as loam, sand, or clay are perfect for this plant. The spotted bellflower does not like warm weather, so apply a layer of mulch to the soil in the summer. This will help to keep the soil and the roots of your plant cool and moist. The nutrients from the mulch will also encourage better growth and blooming.
Fertilizing
While it is not essential to use a fertilizer, many choose to apply an organic fertilizer to increase the quality, size and growth rate of the flowers. If you decide to use a fertilizer, apply it once or twice a month throughout the spring and the beginning of summer. Ideally, use a water-soluble fertilizer that you can apply directly to the soil. However, avoid getting any fertilizer on the spotted bellflower, as this could burn the plant, and avoid nitrogen-heavy fertilizers too.
Planting Instructions
While many people choose to plant their spotted bellflower in the garden, it will also happily survive when planted in an outdoor container. They are best planted in the fall, to give them enough time to establish their roots for the spring. These plants like to spread out, so be sure to plant them with enough room to do so, for example, a foot apart. Leaving this amount of space will allow for adequate air circulation around your plant, which can prevent powdery mildew.
When planting your spotted bellflower, make sure that the hole is twice the size of the root ball and is about 38 cm deep, so that the tops of the roots are level with the soil surface. Then, fill the soil in and firm the top layer before watering. A good tip is to loosen the surrounding soil before planting to allow the plant to settle quicker. While the spotted bellflower is occasionally kept indoors as a house plant, this is not recommended as the lack of light and dry air can quickly damage the plant.
Pruning
The typical spotted bellflower will usually grow up to 1 m and reach an ultimate spread of 1 m. They are perennial, which means that they will bloom once a year. Because of this, they do not necessarily need pruning, unless you are trying to maintain a certain shape. The spotted bellflower can take up to 5 years to reach its ultimate height, which is another reason why you may not need to prune your plant for quite a few years.
If you choose to prune for shape and to encourage growth, you should do this at the end of spring, and definitely before the beginning of fall. While pruning, remove any shoots that appear weak or are growing in the wrong direction. This will encourage the plant’s energy to be diverted towards the other shoots instead. During the flowering season, some choose to remove wilted flowers, as this can prolong the flowering phase. This can be done by ‘plucking’ off the dead flowers. Deadheading flowers will also prevent this plant from self-seeding.
Propagation
The spotted bellflower can be propagated through division, planting seeds, or basal cuttings. Most choose division because the plant should be divided every five years anyway, in order to keep it growing strong and healthy, with propagating by division being easy to do. In the spring, dig up your spotted bellflower and tease the roots apart. Then, gently cut the plant in half. Afterward, plant your spotted bellflower in nutrient-rich soil immediately, lightly packing the soil around the plant before watering it. It is best to divide your spotted bellflower on a cool day.
If you choose to plant seeds, simply sow them into nutrient-rich soil at the beginning of spring, after the last frost. Cover the ground with mulch to help the seeds germinate, and you should start to see shoots in the next 4-8 weeks. Be aware that the seeds for the spotted bellflower are cold shooters, so they must be kept at a low temperature before planting to prevent them from driving out too early.
Transplanting
The favorable period to transplant spotted bellflower is during the cool, moist weather of spring or autumn to aid in root development and establishment. A position in partial shade is ideal. Ensure the root ball is watered thoroughly prior to transplanting. Handle carefully during the process to prevent any harm.
III. Uses and Benefits
Spotted bellflower is best planted en masse or in small groups to make the best out of its highly attractive, bell-shaped flowers. It fits in well within cottage gardens, rock gardens or woodland borders, where you can let it spread and naturalize or use it as an accent plant. The spread can be somewhat invasive, so consider that when planting.
Find Where to Buy the Best Spotted Bellflower (Campanula punctata)
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