There is a popular belief that bells grow exclusively in fields and meadows, but today there are a huge number of garden bells that you can easily grow on your own plot and enjoy their beautiful appearance.
Bells – representatives of the Campanulaceae family. This plant is exclusively herbaceous and grows most actively in temperate climates.
Very often, the bell is characterized as a rock plant, because it adapts quite well to different living conditions.
Bells can be divided into three groups, each of which includes a large number of species, subspecies, and hybrid varieties. Thus, There are low-growing, medium-growing and tall groups of bells. You will learn more about the most common representatives of each of these groups from this article.
Low-growing groups of bluebells
Low-growing groups of bells are also called dwarf.In the right planting location, these flowers can grow for several years. Such a place should be well lit, with sandy soil.
Low-growing types of bells grow in the form of a bush up to 30 cm high and the same diameter. The flower shape is funnel-shaped, the plants grow singly. Flowers blue, purple, white. Their color may vary depending on the type.
Bluebell Carpathian
– a plant with a thin stem up to 30 cm high. The stem is without leaves. These bells are perennial. The shoots of this plant are collected in a bush that reaches a diameter of 30 cm.
The leaves are ovoid, the flowers are funnel-shaped, small, up to 5 cm in diameter. It blooms for 60-70 days in blue, purple or white. Flowering begins in June, and seeds can be collected from July to August. This species was first discovered in 1770.
The most famous subspecies of this variety:
- "Celestine" - blooms blue.
- "Karpatenkrone"- violet flowers.
- "Centon Joy" - flowers of deep blue color.
This type of bell requires loose soil and sufficient moisture. It is imperative to water the plant during prolonged heat. Flowers need to be pruned, because otherwise the bush will simply “fall” and die. The bush grows very slowly, flowering begins only in the third year.
This plant can be propagated vegetatively or by seed. If you decide to propagate a plant with seeds, it is worth remembering that it requires picking during germination and, possibly, more than one. This species is very beautiful, and its decorative “appearance” will decorate any garden.
Birch-leaved bellflower
– representative of low-growing species of bells. This species is not afraid of heights and grows in Turkey at a level of 200-300 meters. It received its name due to the similarity of the leaves of the flower with the leaves of a birch tree.
The stem of the plant is erect, small (10-15 cm). Its leaves have a glossy shine and a rich green color. There are from 1 to 4 flowers on the stem, often white, with a pubescent tip. Flowering of this species begins in May and lasts until the end of July - beginning of August.
The flower is unpretentious and grows in well-drained soils with a pH level of 5.6 to 7.5%. It is advisable to protect this species for the winter.The birch-leaved bellflower is very often used by landscape designers in the design of alleys, borders, and flower beds. The flower looks incredibly beautiful in group plantings next to other ornamental plants.
Campanula garganica
– a very fragile perennial plant. The stem of this representative of the bellflowers is thin and creeping. The plant occurs in the form of a small bush, reaching a height of up to 15 cm.
The leaves are quite small, round in shape, three-toothed. The flowers reach 4 mm in diameter, are star-shaped and blue. This species has several subspecies with different colors. For example, "Major" has pale blue flowers; "W.H.Pain" has a light lavender color with a bluish tint and a white center.
The flowering of the Gargan bell is so abundant that neither the stem nor the leaves are visible behind the flowers. The flower was first discovered in 1832.
For comfortable growth, it needs to be provided with a semi-shaded place with acidic, loamy soil with good drainage. For the Gargan bell, it is necessary to ensure good water drainage, because due to its stagnation, the plant may die.
You should also think about how to cover the plant for the winter, especially young bushes. This species reproduces vegetatively or by seeds. It is used in most cases to decorate sidewalks, rocky gardens, and is also widely known as a potted plant.
has another name - bellflower – Campanula cochlearifolia. The plant prefers limestone and is most often found in the Alps and Carpathians.
The stems of this flower form a dense turf, they are thin and spread along the ground. The size of the bush is very small - 15 cm. At the very base, the leaves are semi-oval, very decorative: elongated, small, with teeth along the edges.
Flowers can be white, blue or blue. Their maximum size is 1 cm in diameter. The length of the corolla is 1.2 cm, the petals are sharp at the tips and short. The bush begins flowering in June-July.
This species has several varieties that differ in color:
- "Alba" - White color.
- "Miss Wilmott" - blooms blue.
- "R.B. Lodder" – blue flowers with a “double” coating.
This species has been known to gardeners since 1783.
This flower should be planted at a great distance from other plants, as the root grows very quickly. It is better to choose a place that is well lit, warm and protected from cold winds and drafts. The soil must be used with good drainage, calcareous and not too nutritious.
Important! The plant does not tolerate clayey, damp soil!
The bush can be propagated vegetatively (by shoots and division of bushes), as well as by seeds, which are grown according to the principle of growing seedlings. The plant needs to be propagated in February-March.
The plant is good to use in stone gardens, as the root easily grows under stones or paving slabs. Sometimes this species grows very strongly and forms a “living carpet” of green leaves and beautiful flowers.
Medium-sized groups of bells
Medium-sized groups of bells differ from low-growing ones primarily in their size. These are bushes from 30 to 80 cm in height. The flowers of bells are medium-sized, large, collected in racemose inflorescences.
The bell-shaped corolla reaches a size of up to 3 cm and can be of different colors: white, pale yellow, blue with a lilac tint. Flowering begins in June and ends at the end of July. The species has been widely used in horticultural crops since 1803.
Flowering of this species begins in June and continues until August. The Caucasus Mountains are considered the birthplace of the flower; it grows mostly on rocks. The plant is quite tall - from 50 to 70 cm, there are many stems in the bush, they are pubescent. The plant blooms with ocher-yellow flowers up to 3 cm in size. The inflorescence is collected in a spike-shaped brush.
The bush prefers slightly alkaline soils. It is better to choose a well-lit place for growing. The plant reproduces by seeds, which ripen in August-September. The pale ocher bell is used for mixed borders, as well as for the design of rocky gardens, monuments and memorials. The active use of this bush in culture began in 1803.
Grossec's bell
– a perennial herbaceous plant reaching a height of 70 cm. This bush is native to the Balkans. The plant is rigidly pubescent, with numerous red-brown stems.
On the branches there are a lot of flowers of blue-violet or purple shades up to 3 cm in size. Flowering begins in June-July. The leaves of this bush are rough and green. The plant reproduces by seeds, which ripen in August.
To grow Grossec's bell, you can choose any place in the garden, but it is better if it is illuminated. Since under natural conditions the plant grows on alkaline, rocky soils, it is not particularly demanding of the soil. Designers use this type to design borders, mixborders or rocky gardens.
Bluebell perforated
– perennial plant, rather low. Grows up to 30 cm in height. The leaves are heart-shaped, ovoid, with a serrated edge.
The corolla of the flower is star-shaped, spreading, with well-dissected lobes. Inflorescences are loose. The flowers are large, up to 3 cm in diameter, blue, star-shaped. The plant blooms very profusely and for quite a long time - from June to September.
Did you know? For the winter, the perforated bell needs shelter.
The flower is used to decorate alpine slides, mixborders, borders and rocky gardens.
This species is found exclusively in the Caucasus Mountains. – perennial herbaceous plant. Its height reaches 45 cm, the stems are very curly, covered with white stiff hairs. One bush has up to 10 stems.
The lower leaves on the stems are oblong, the upper ones are lanceolate. The plant blooms very profusely, the flowers are quite large - up to 3 cm in diameter. The corolla is tubular, with the upper lobes “turned up”, of a bright light purple color.
It does not bloom for very long: the first flower appears in mid-June and ends at the end of July. Used by designers in the design of mixborders, borders and rock gardens.
grows on the banks of forest rivers in Eastern Siberia and the Far East. This plant is perennial. The stem reaches a height of 50 cm, is straight at the base and middle part, branches towards the apex, and has a rough texture.
The leaves of this species are pubescent, basal with red pubescent petioles. The leaf itself is heart-shaped, egg-shaped. The leaves are quite large, approximately 7.4 cm. On one branch there can be up to five rather large, pubescent flowers. The corolla of the flower is goblet-shaped, white, convex in the middle.
The plant tolerates winter quite well, although it is advisable to cover it. If there is a lot of snow in winter, flowering may deteriorate the next season. Depending on the species, the color or size of the plant may change.
Bell Takeshima
–perennial plant up to 60 cm high. It grows in groups of basal rosettes, thus forming a rather dense bush. The stems are slightly pubescent, thin, creeping.
The leaves are heart-shaped, with a wavy edge. The flowers in a racemose inflorescence are slightly pubescent and can be white, purple or pink. The flowers are 6-7 cm in size and appear throughout the summer.
The plant is frost-resistant, not demanding on soil and lighting, but it is better to choose bright places for planting.
Important! If you plant a flower in loose soil, you can observe the appearance of numerous shoots, which are then used to propagate the bush.
This type of bell is very similar to the dotted bell, but differs in the color of the leaves: the dotted bell has leaves of a less saturated green color, close to bluish due to strong pubescence, while Takeshima has leaves of a rich, bright, glossy green color.
This species is native to the Caucasus Mountains. The plant is biennial, herbaceous. The stem is straight, branched. The leaves are arranged in a spiral, oblong, ovate below and narrow, lanceolate at the top of the stem.
The flowers are arranged in a panicle, lilac, and may have a violet tint. The calyx of the flower is separate, lanceolate, the funnel-shaped corolla is divided into five parts. This plant begins flowering in early summer and continues until mid-August. Propagated by seeds, which can be collected from bushes after flowering.
It is used in culture to decorate mixborders, but looks best in natural gardens and chaotic plantings.
Tall groups of bluebells
Tall groups of bells are distinguished by a height of over 150 cm, and the flowers have a more intense scent than those of other species. There are more than 300 species of representatives of tall bells. We will note only the most popular of them.
Campanula lactiflora
–one of the largest representatives of this species. An adult plant grows up to 2 meters, and the youngest specimens have a height of 50-80 cm. The stem of this plant is branched, leafy, and straight.
The upper leaves are oblong, ovate, the lower leaves are petiolate, the petioles are short. The flowers are curved, bell-shaped, up to 3 cm in diameter, white, collected in inflorescences. Flowering begins in June and ends at the end of August.
The flower grows in subalpine meadows, the Caucasus and Asia Minor. It is better to choose a sunny place for planting.
This species has several subspecies that differ in color:- "Alba" - snow-white flowers.
- "Pritchard's Variety"- lavender-blue color. This flower is the shortest and does not grow above 50 cm.
- "Cerulea"-blooming sky blue bright color.
- "Pouffe"- the flowers are blue.
Campanula Glomerata, or crowded bell, –perennial herbaceous plant with a fibrous root system. The stem of the plant is erect, slightly pubescent.
Its leaves change as it grows: for example, a young bush has heart-shaped leaves with a slightly pointed tip, immature bushes have lower leaves larger than the leaves of a young plant, and the upper ones have an oblong, ovoid shape, and in adult plants all leaves are oblong, ovoid, measuring from 4 to 8 cm in length and 2.5-3 cm in width.
Usually the flowers are bright blue, bell-shaped, 2-3 cm in size, collected in a spherical inflorescence that grows up to 5 cm in length.
The plant tolerates winter well, but to be sure, you can make a preventive shelter. The crowded bell does not like very damp soil, so watering should be carried out only during severe, prolonged drought. The plant can be propagated vegetatively (by dividing the bush) or by seed.
The flower looks very beautiful in the decorative garden composition “Moorish Lawn”, and is also widely used in decorating ridges.
Important! Flowering of this species is short - 30-35 days, usually from June to July. However, if the flowers are cut, flowering can last until the end of summer.
Bellflower peach
– the plant is short-lived and usually dies within 2-3 years. Found in Europe, the Caucasus and Siberia. It became widespread in 1554. It gets its name due to the similarity of the leaves to a peach leaf: wide, lanceolate, dark green in color with small teeth along the edges.
The stems are fleshy, straight, up to 100 cm high. This species blooms from June to the end of August, if you cut off the faded buds. Depending on the species, the color may vary: blue, purple-blue, white flowers with double texture. Seed pods are formed in late August - early September.
It is better to choose a place for growing that is well-lit, with loose soil enriched with humus. Good drainage won't hurt either, because stagnant water can cause the flower to die.
In the garden, the bell looks good in company with carnations and ferns. Bellflower has a large amount of pollen and therefore looks good between hives.
Broad-leaved bellflower, or Campanula Latifolia, – plant 130 cm high with tight straight stems. The lower leaves are round, heart-shaped, serrated along the edge, the upper ones are lanceolate.
The flowers are located in the axils of the upper leaves, funnel-shaped, reaching 3.5 cm, folded into a spike-shaped raceme, 20 cm long. Flowering begins in July and continues until the end of August. Depending on the variety, the color may be different: purple, lilac.
Bells are popularly considered garden flowers, with the only exception being Campanula equifolia, which is widespread in the culture of indoor plants, the main representatives of which are the popular varieties Mayi and Alba with white and bluish flowers, which are popularly referred to as the bride and groom.
But recently, compact and low-growing bells, which are intended for growing in open ground, are beginning to gain positions in indoor floriculture. The champions among these plants are the terry variety of bells.
Varieties and types of bells
It grows on the edges of bushes or on slopes. It is a perennial with a spindle-like root system and a straight or slightly branched stem. The leaves are ovoid, pointed, rough and pubescent underneath.
Depending on weather conditions, the bell grows up to one and a half meters. The flowers are not large, light blue in color, solitary or collected in groups in the axils of the leaves, creating racemose inflorescences.
Forms buds in June, the flowering period occurs from July to early August. Flowering lasts about two weeks, some plants continue their flowering period due to lateral stems. The number of flowers is very large, up to about a hundred, and sometimes more.
The seeds are collected in August. The bell flower reproduces very well by self-sowing. If you want to plant these flowers in your garden, you should sow the seeds before winter. This species is very dry-resistant. I have it growing on a rocky hill.
It is also a resident of forests, bushes and slopes. The flowers are solitary or collected in groups of two or four in the axil of the leaves, creating racemose inflorescences. The height of the plant does not exceed one meter. Flowering occurs a little earlier than Bolognese, but the flowering period is longer.
In favorable conditions, repeated flowering is possible. The seeds ripen in August. The boxes are collected before drying. These bells in the garden are not picky about the soil, but love wetter and quieter places. They look very good near bodies of water.
Distributed in pine forests, on slopes among bushes. The height of the stem is from ten to fifty centimeters. The flowers are solitary or placed in groups of two or three on the tops of spacious stems.
These garden bells begin the growing season earlier than other species; the flowering period occurs in June. Flowering lasts throughout the summer. The boxes need to be collected several times, because the presence of ripe fruits stops the flowering period of the plant.
It is better to sow the seeds of round-leaved bells in winter. Try scattering the seeds randomly and the plantings will surprise you with thick, spreading and thin stems that will form a green feather bed, equipped with small leaves and exquisite flowers.
It grows in forests, but the most favorite habitats are forest onions. It is possible to find them on poor soils of pine forests, but they do not create clumps here, but grow singly with two or three flowers on weak stems. And in the groves, next to the mighty oaks, the bells are especially luxurious.
They awaken later than other species, but their flowering period begins earlier. At the end of June, the seeds are already ripening, which can be easily poured out through the holes located in the upper part of the fruit. This species gives very good self-seeding. Flowering occurs in the second year. They differ from other species in the size of their flowers and drought resistance.
This perennial plant has a straight, simple stem with a milky sap. The leaves are bare, toothed, and the basal leaves are elongated and sessile. The flowers are large, single or collected in racemes, blue and sometimes white.
Loves forests, bushes and slopes, limestone outcrops, as well as wastelands and roadsides. This perennial with a thick branched stem up to a meter high. The entire plant is covered with rough short hairs. The basal and lower stem leaves are located on long petioles, heart-shaped-ovate, the upper lanceolate, serrated. Forms up to ten flowers on short stalks in a violet racemose inflorescence. Calyxes are hairy with curved teeth. The corolla is larger than the calyx, funnel-shaped.
In the garden, the height of this plant can reach two meters; the inflorescence can contain up to one hundred and fifty flowers. The bell plant grows at the end of March and blooms in June–July. It can be propagated by dividing the bush or by seeds. The seeds ripen in July August.
It is better to sow in winter. The plant self-sows. The seeds have a high germination rate, but require a period of rest. In the first year, a rosette with several leaves and a taproot appears. The next year, a stem and creeping underground shoots appear from this rosette, which give rise to new plants. Vegetative propagation continues from year to year, and over time the bells cover a very large area.
It grows in forests, on the edges, and lives well on dry onions. A perennial plant with a thick, almost tree-like rhizome and a straight, simple stem, often reddish and pubescent. The upper leaves are narrow, and the lower ones are ovate-elongated. Dark purple flowers collected in the inflorescence of the head in the axil of the upper leaves. The height of the plant is twenty-fifty centimeters, sometimes higher. They appear in early spring, flowering occurs in June, and the seeds ripen in August.
The crowded bell loves dry places, they look very beautiful in groups. Young root leaves contain milky juice; they are used together with sauerkraut to make soups. An infusion of leaves is used in folk medicine for sore throats and as a lotion for skin diseases. A good honey plant.
An unpretentious perennial. These are the most decorative bells. The flowers are large, light purple, collected in inflorescences. The height of the plant is from seventy to one hundred and fifty centimeters.
Flowering occurs in the second year. It begins to grow in early April. The budding phase occurs from the beginning of June, and at the end of the same month the flowering period begins. The stems are straight. The flowers are bell-shaped, which are located in the axils of the upper leaves and collected in a densely spike-shaped cluster.
Flowering occurs until the end of July. The seeds ripen in September. Autumn sowings produce good seedlings in the spring. Blooms densely in open sunny places. It is better to use sandy and loamy soil.
Perennial root-like plant. Very decorative, with large blue flowers, which can be found in gardeners’ flower beds, and white ones, which look like glasses, with a pyramidal inflorescence. The flowers are solitary, located at the top of the flower stalks. The heart-shaped leaves are mainly basal, the stems reach a height of up to forty centimeters.
Propagated by seeds, which are scattered on the surface of the soil and lightly compacted. Entire clumps are formed on dry soils. Loves sunny areas with fertile, well-drained soil. Used in landscaping flower beds and border design. These bells look good in rock gardens and on rocky hills, in any composition. It creates a particularly amazing contrast of shape and color with poppies.
The plant is biennial. Perhaps there is not a single flower lover who would not be delighted by the beauty of these amazingly beautiful flowers, collected in pyramidal inflorescences. Very decorative plants with colorful flowers.
Growing does not require much effort. They are planted in mixborders, in groups in flower beds and in mixed plantings. The ridges will be decorated with their delicate flowers. Since these flowers have tall, spreading stems, they are best planted in an area protected from the wind.
General information about house bells
Houseplants already include varieties of Carpathian bellflower, such as Thorpedo with purple flowers, as well as its white-flowered variety Alba. And recently, the analogy of a bride and groom with densely double pink flowers has appeared on the flower market.
These new items are represented by the blue and white form of the hybrid bell, obtained by crossing the bells of the spoon-leaved and Carpathian bells, which are known as dwarf ground cover plants intended for open ground.
One should make a reservation about the compactness of the bells. Since almost all plants that go on sale in flower shops are treated with retardants, these are substances that slow down plant growth. As a result, the plants have the appearance of a fairly thick and dense turf, while forming their shoots with shortened internodes, and flowering occurs in a cap. At the end of the effect of the drug, the plant returns to its natural growth form, after which it becomes looser.
In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with this. Since the bride and groom grow, even without chemical treatment, like hanging plants. Terry bells have approximately the same appearance, which look very beautiful in hanging flowerpots. Flowering occurs very abundantly. And individual flowers last for about five to seven days, but if you take into account the entire flowering period as a whole, it lasts quite a long time, which occurs from June to August.
It is advisable to remove wilted flowers, as well as shoots that have already completed their flowering period. This simple technique gives the plant an incentive to form new buds, and also helps to prolong the flowering period.
Carpathian bell planting and care at home
When cultivated, the requirements of terry varieties are approximately the same as those of the bellflower. You need to choose a fairly bright place with sufficiently bright, but at the same time diffused sunlight. This variety tolerates only light shading; with a lack of lighting, the shoots of the bells are stretched, and the flowering of the plant is greatly deteriorated or stops altogether.
Plants should be watered regularly to maintain soil moisture and there should be good drainage. Even if the earthen clod dries out for a short time, the buds may dry out. Excessive moisture is also not advisable, as it often causes root rot. Also, terry bells do not tolerate very dry air, which causes the leaves to dry out at the edges.
Feeding Carpathian bellflower
The plant needs regular fertilizing with organic and mineral fertilizers for abundant flowering, which should be done every couple of weeks.
An important condition for these plants, in indoor conditions, is wintering with cool conditions at a sufficiently high level of lighting. A glazed loggia with a low, but still positive temperature is optimal.
Carpathian bell propagation by cuttings
If the bell has become elongated during the winter, then in the spring it can be cut very short. All cut stems can be used for cuttings. The plant is quite resistant to diseases and pests.
The interspecific hybrid of the bell is sterile, and for this reason cannot form seeds, so the plant is propagated only by vegetative means. The optimal time for this is spring. New plants can most easily be obtained by dividing a bush into several parts, or from stem cuttings with three to four internodes.
It should be taken into account that damaged bell tissue secretes milky juice; for this reason, the cuttings are first placed in water to release the juice, and only after that they are planted in a moist substrate consisting of sand and peat, perlite or vermiculite.
To create greenhouse conditions with high humidity, you can cover the cuttings with a plastic bag, after which they must be placed in a bright place, but without direct sunlight. Rooting will occur over a period of several weeks.
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Surely, the Latin name of this plant - campanula - will not cause any associations for novice gardeners. Meanwhile, this is what botanical reference books call the garden perennial bell - one of the favorite flowers of the inhabitants of the middle zone. According to the description, the flowers of the bellflower are indeed very similar to small bells, for which it received its name in Russia.
Photo and description of what the bell looks like
Perennial bellflowers are herbaceous flowering plants of the bellflower family. There are also annual and biennial plants in cultivation. Among them there are both tall (up to 2 m in height) and short (5-7 cm). The height of the plant does not characterize the species. It may vary depending on growing conditions.
Look at the photo to see what different types of bells look like:
The stems are erect, branched, both smooth and pubescent, there are climbing varieties. In perennial bells, flowering occurs in the second year after sowing the seeds. They are valuable for their abundance and duration of flowering, which lasts from June until frost.
They grow well in the sun and shade. Any well-drained, non-acidic, moderately moist soil is suitable for them. They plant and replant both.
Bellflower flowers are honey-bearing. They contain a large amount of pollen and nectar, have the aroma of a fragrant meadow, a shady forest clearing.
The fruit is a capsule. Its structure is special: in its lower part it has holes covered with valves. In dry weather, the valves open, spill out and are carried by the wind, and in damp weather they are closed. The color of the seeds ranges from milky white to dark red depending on the species.
Almost everyone knows what bells look like, but few people know that these plants have the ability to change the shape of the leaves and the color of the corolla depending on air humidity. When saturated with moisture, the flowers become lighter.
Types and varieties of perennial bells (with photos)
Below are photos and descriptions of the most common types and varieties of bells:
Campanula nettlefolia- perennial. The plant is tall (up to 1 m). The root is branched, the stem is ribbed, with hard short hairs. Leaves have short petioles, triangular, ovate, sessile. Flowers 1-3 in the axils of the upper leaves. The inflorescence is a loose raceme up to 45 cm long.
Pay attention to the photo - this type of bell has a blue or purple corolla, less often white:
The culture has garden forms - terry - purple and white.
The plant is very winter-hardy, unpretentious and therefore widespread in floriculture.
Campanula rotundifolia- a widespread perennial. It is especially popular in the middle zone, the Caucasus and Siberia. It got its name from its round basal leaves. Plant height is from 10 to 60 cm. The rhizome is thin, branched, creeping. One or more stems.
A distinctive feature of this species is the early drying out and falling off of the basal leaves - already during the flowering of the plant. The stem leaves, fresh and green, remain until late autumn. The flowers are small, blue, located at the ends of the branches of a paniculate inflorescence. There are varieties used in floriculture : arctic, velvety, garden.
The most popular variety is bellflower. Carpathian "Gnome"- This is one of the most unpretentious representatives of the family. Compact, rounded bushes have a long flowering period (from June to September).
As you can see in the photo, this variety of perennial bell has white or blue flowers:
The height of the plant does not exceed 30 cm.
Medium bell “Raspberry ringing”- the mixture is amazing in beauty and variety of delicate colors of large double flowers.
Bell "Droplet", mixture. Very large flowers of delicate colors will decorate any flower bed and are well preserved when cut.
Other species of interest are: bell-shaped, bell-shaped, peach-leaved bell, bell-shaped, or bell-shaped, Siberian bell-shaped.
The bell flower blooms attractively and for a long time, thanks to which it has become widespread in garden cultivation. Despite their rather simple structure, any bell-like flowers are actively used in landscape decoration.
Bellflower: what the flower looks like and its botanical description
The Latin name is Campanula. Belongs to the genus of herbaceous plants and the family Campanulaceae from the dicotyledonous class. Under natural conditions it grows in the Caucasus and Siberia, Asia and Europe. Information on the habitat is very extensive, as is the distribution area.
Field and meadow species are distributed almost everywhere in our country. The plant also inhabits alpine, desert and rocky areas, as well as mountain belts. Perennial herbs have entire alternate leaves, as well as a bell-shaped blue or purple corolla. Some varieties bloom producing purple or white flowers. The seeds are formed in a box-shaped fruit.
Description of popular types of bells (perennial garden campanula)
In total, today there are about four hundred different species, which may differ slightly in their main external characteristics. However, the most popular indoor and garden crops are not so numerous.
The ampelous culture has thin shoots, rounded and finely toothed leaves. The base of the shoot is heart-shaped. Flowers of light blue color are formed in spring or summer.
Photo gallery
Bellflower peach
Campanula persicifolia is a herbaceous perennial with a spindle-shaped, oblique, fibrous root and an erect, simple, sparsely branched, glabrous, slightly ribbed stem part. The foliage is alternate, narrow, linear or lanceolate, dark green and shiny. Blue, blue-violet or light purple flowers are located on short stalks and collected in a one-sided apical inflorescence. The period of mass flowering occurs in mid-summer.
A herbaceous plant no more than 25-30 cm high, with thin and hanging shoots. Most often it is grown as an ampel crop in pots. The foliage is green, round in shape, slightly carved at the edges, located on long cuttings. The flowers are numerous, up to 40 mm in diameter, white and blue.
Campanula latifolia
Campanula latifolia is a herbaceous crop up to 1.2 in height with a powerful and well-developed rhizome and spindle-shaped thickened lateral roots. The stem part is bare, cylindrical, with oblong-ovate foliage, characterized by sparse and soft, bilateral pubescence. Racemose inflorescences are represented by large, purple flowers. After flowering, capsule fruits with ovoid light brown seeds are formed.
The perennial is distinguished by a thin stem part no more than 25-30 cm high. The stem part is without foliage. The shoots are bush-shaped, up to 30 cm in diameter. The foliage is ovoid. The flowers are funnel-shaped, medium-sized, up to 50 mm in diameter, blue, purple or white. Flowering is long and abundant.
Decorative perennial with straight and well-leafed, branched stems up to one and a half meters high. It has a taproot system. The upper foliage is sessile, ovate-oblong, double-toothed. The lower leaves are located on short petioles. Large racemose inflorescences are represented by fragrant milky-white flowers, up to 40 mm in diameter.
Portenschlag's bell is one of the most popular species among amateur gardeners, which does not require special care and is distinguished by its high decorative properties. A very common perennial crop, it has heart-shaped foliage with characteristic jagged edges. It blooms for a long time, from May to September.
Bell dotted
Campanula punstata is a perennial crop with a rather thin and fibrous rhizome. The stem part is erect, slightly more than half a meter high, pubescent, simple, paniculate-branched in the upper part, rough and cylindrical. The foliage is hairy, paler at the bottom. The leaves are numerous.
The basal ovoid foliage is characterized by the presence of red hairy petioles. Stem foliage with short petioles or sessile type, ovate in shape. The flowers are large in size, drooping, located on long stalks, with pubescence. Flowering is abundant and occurs in mid-summer.
Double bell is a very widespread variety of decorative crop in home gardening. It is a variety of Capmanula equifolia. The hybrid form was obtained by crossing the Carpathian species (C.carpatica) with the spoon-leaved species (C.cochlearifolia). The bush-like plant is strewn with double flowers of different colors. The shades of the petals can vary from white to purple. The stem part is thin and flexible, with numerous carved leaves.
Other varieties
There are others, less common, but no less attractive varieties of decorative bells:
- hybrid form "Sarastro" with a bush height of 40-60 cm and a width of no more than 30-45 cm. A fairly compact crop is distinguished by large, numerous flowers of bright purple color. There is no need to tie up strong flower stalks;
- the pyramidal species is known to many under the name "Venus Belt". This perennial plant, up to one and a half meters high, has a smooth and hairless stem part with green foliage and numerous flowers;
- variety "Bernise" It is distinguished by strongly double flowers with an interesting and quite intense color. The height and width of the bush does not exceed half a meter. The flowers are a rich lilac color with petals that very effectively bend on the outside, towards the stem. The flower stalks are durable, and the carved dark green leaves have a slightly rough surface;
Bells: varieties (video)
- variety "Pozharsky"– the plant is very unpretentious, blooms profusely and for a long time, and is relatively tall. The above-ground part is represented by long shoots. The flowers are numerous, star-shaped;
- variety "Thyrsoid" or "Spike" often used in bouquets and is characterized by an erect, powerful, simple, grooved, reddish, densely and short bristly-hairy stem. The basal foliage gathers into a dense and lying rosette. The stem leaves are very closely spaced, numerous, linear-lanceolate, pointed and entire. The flowers are numerous, sessile, collected in dense, cylindrical or pyramidal-shaped spikes no more than a quarter of a meter high;
- variety "Pantaloons" refers to perennial plants with an above-ground part no more than half a meter high. A distinctive feature is represented by double flowers of quite large sizes;
- Caucasian variety "Sarmatian" little-known, but very highly decorative. Grows up to 0.4 m or a little more. Numerous attractive flowers have a very delicate honey scent;
- bell(C.saxifrāga) is a compact herbaceous plant with a height of the aboveground part of no more than 50 mm, slightly pubescent, serrated leaves and bell-shaped flowers of a dark bluish-violet hue;
- variety "Long-columnar"– the plant has an average height, no more than 30 cm in height. The leaves are very attractive heart-shaped. The flowers form a long and narrow, spike-shaped raceme, of a dense bluish-purple or deep blue color. Flowering occurs from May to the end of June. The culture is widely used in the design of rocky hills, and is also planted on borders and used for cutting to make miniature bouquets.
Features of growing bells (video)
Also very well known to flower growers "Chilean bell" or Lapageria with axillary single flowers and wire-like, bluish-green, highly branched branches up to ten meters high. The crowded bell or Freya plant also looks very beautiful.
Growing bells from seeds: technology and timing
The seed material of bells does not need to provide mandatory preliminary pre-sowing preparation. Seeds can be sown directly in flower beds in open ground around May or October. However, to obtain abundant and lush flowering in the year of sowing, it is recommended to grow the decorative perennial crop using the standard seedling method. For this purpose, the seeds are sown in March in planting containers filled with loose and nutritious, permeable soil mixture.
The best nutritious planting substrate based on humus and turf soil, as well as coarse-grained clean sand, mixed in a ratio of 3:6:1, has proven itself. The seed material is lightly pressed against the surface of well-moistened soil. Crops must be covered with transparent plastic film to create a greenhouse effect. Under temperature conditions of 18-20ºC and regular spraying, mass shoots appear in about a couple of weeks.
After the emergence of mass shoots, remove the film cover and place the container with seedling material in a bright and warm place, which must be protected from direct sunlight. Standard care for flower seedlings consists of regular watering with settled water at room temperature, as well as shallow loosening of the soil.
After the first true leaves appear, Seedlings of decorative crops need to be picked into separate seedling pots with a diameter of 10-12 cm. About a couple of weeks after diving, it is recommended to feed the flower seedlings with a special solution based on complex fertilizer.
Planting of seedlings in a permanent place is carried out in the last ten days of May or at the very beginning of summer. A significant part of the varieties belongs to the category of very light-loving ornamental perennials, Therefore, for planting you need to choose areas well lit by sunlight. The composition of the soil suitable for growing crops may also vary depending on the species and varietal characteristics.
Pre-planting preparation for heavy soils involves the addition of sand and humus, and for areas depleted of nutrients it is necessary to apply turf soil and basic fertilizers. It is strictly forbidden to introduce fresh manure and large amounts of peat during the digging process., since in this case the risk of damage to the ornamental perennial by fungal infections increases significantly.
Caring for a beautifully flowering plant is not difficult even for novice amateur gardeners. It is enough to systematically carry out irrigation measures, regularly loosen the soil and remove weeds, and also provide double fertilizing with basic complex fertilizers.
How to care for bluebells (video)
Garden bell is a favorite flowering plant not only for children, but also for many adults. This very unpretentious and decorative crop is perfect not only for decorating the local area, but has also been grown with great success in indoor floriculture for many years.
The name “bell” (Campanula) unites a huge group of herbaceous plants of the Campanulaceae family, which includes more than 350 species, and most of them are often found in Russia. The culture can grow in forest and mountainous areas, on the banks of reservoirs and in the steppe. It is distributed throughout the European part of the continent, and flowers similar to bells can also be found in North America.
Garden and indoor flowers that look like bells can be biennial or perennial, depending on the species. Representatives of this group differ in stem height, petal shade and inflorescence diameter. Below are photos and names of the most common plants with characteristic bell-shaped flowers.
These perennial plants from the Campanaceae family are often called “big bells” because of their large flowers.
The culture can be recognized by whorled leaves of elliptical, lanceolate or oblong shape. The stems of adenophora are thick and the roots are radish-like. The inflorescences are paniculate or racemose, the petals are purple or blue.
In nature, there are about 6 dozen varieties of adenophora, most of which are excellent honey plants. They can grow in any soil and multiply quickly. The flowering period of this crop occurs in mid-July.
This herbaceous perennial has an impressive branched rhizome, making it difficult to transplant. Aquilegia stems reach a height of 50 to 80 cm, and at the base of the culture there is a dense rosette of dark green leaves with a waxy coating. Their length reaches 5 cm, and width - 2-3 cm.
The buds on this crop appear early and bloom in early June. It is noteworthy that each flower lives for about 6-8 days, then it fades and is replaced by another.
Depending on the variety, the color of the petals can be white, yellow, pink, purple, crimson, blue and dark purple. At the end of the flowering period, fruits with small black seeds are formed on the aquilegia. When properly stored, planting material remains viable for 1-2 years.
Attention! The seeds of this crop are extremely poisonous, so personal precautions should be taken when working with them.
This plant is often called "angel's trumpets". This is due to the fact that it grows incredibly quickly, and the flowers of this crop can increase by 3-4 cm in 24 hours, and if the growing conditions are more than favorable, then even by 6-7 cm.
Brugmansia is a large and lushly flowering tree-like shrub that reaches 5 m in height. Its flowers are incredibly attractive. These are huge bells, up to 20 cm in diameter and up to 50 cm in length.
The buds of the culture have a persistent characteristic aroma, which is especially intensified at night. The color of the petals can be pink, orange, peach, yellow, cream and even greenish.
Galanthus or snowdrop is a bulbous perennial from the Amaryllis family. The plant is distributed in Europe, Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Asia Minor, Azerbaijan and the North Caucasus. In the wild, galanthus grow on forest edges, meadows and along river banks.
This crop with grayish-green leaves reaches a height of up to 10 cm, and fragile white flowers appear very early, in late February or early March.
At the end of the flowering period, a fruit is formed on the bush in the form of a large fleshy capsule, which contains spherical seeds.
For your information. In many areas, galanthus are on the verge of extinction and are listed in the Red Book of Russia.
Hyacinthoides are bulbous perennials that belong to early flowering plants. There are other names: “Spanish scilla”, “Spanish endymion”, “Spanish scilla” and “wild hyacinth”.
This is an unpretentious crop that can often be found in flower beds and garden plots. The plant has basal leaves 20-30 cm long and a single peduncle reaching a height of up to 30 cm.
Hyacinth may have lilac, white, pink, blue or blue bell-shaped flowers 1.5-2 cm in diameter. The crop blooms at the end of May or beginning of June, and this period lasts up to 20 days.
This name unites approximately 400 varieties of annual and perennial herbaceous plants. They are distributed on all continents of the planet, with the exception of Africa and Antarctica.
Gentian has strong stems, basal leaves collected in a rosette and a few single flowers. The length of the plant, depending on the variety, can reach from 20 to 150 cm.
The color of the petals is blue, blue, yellow or white. The flowering period occurs at different times, for some species it is spring, for others it is summer or autumn. When the flowers dry out and fall off, the fruit appears in the form of a single-cavity capsule, inside of which there are small seeds.
This plant from the nightshade family is considered very poisonous and has other names: “crazy grass”, “moon flower”, “drunk cucumber” and “henbane”. Sometimes people call it “datura grass.”
The height of this crop can reach 150 cm. Datura has a thick stem, huge leaves and a long white taproot.
The flowers of the plant are large and very fragrant. The color of the petals is most often white, but you can also find purple flowers that resemble a lily in shape.
The plant blooms in July, and this period lasts until the end of September. As a rule, Datura buds bloom only in the evening, and when they fade, a fruit is formed, which is a box of 4 sections, covered with small spines. It can contain up to 800 grains.
This heat-loving plant, originally from the tropics, has 9 varieties. However, among flower growers, only one subspecies is most popular, which is called “creeping kobeya” or “monastery bells”.
The culture is characterized by long stems, their dimensions reach 7 meters. They contain feathery leaves, and the tops of the branches are crowned with tenacious tendrils, through which kobeya can grow, clinging to any base.
The plant blooms with large bells up to 9 cm in size. They have a spicy musky aroma, and when wilting occurs, a leathery capsule containing small round seeds is formed in their place.
The name of this plant comes from the Greek words “codon” (“bell”) and “opsis” (“similar”) due to the special shape of the corolla with flowers.
This crop has a hard, fleshy root that has a round or elongated shape. The stems can be different; climbing ones are more common, but there are also erect ones. The leaves are arranged alternately, have an oval shape and vary in width, depending on the variety.
The flowers are solitary, drooping and bell-shaped, located at the top of the stem. They can be colored in different shades, from whitish-green to blue and have a very unattractive odor.
Flowers appear in June and fade in mid-August. After this, a fruit is formed on the plant - a box with elongated round seeds.
In nature, this plant is a perennial, but in temperate climates it is cultivated as an annual.
Lobelias are generally low-growing and highly branched, have densely leafy shoots and small flowers that abundantly cover the bush. The height of the crop ranges from 15 to 25 cm, and lobelias can be spherical or creeping.
The dimensions of the pointed leaves are 3-6 cm long and 1-1.5 cm wide. The flowers are small, 1.5-2 cm in diameter, solitary, located on a short peduncle. The color of the petals is most often blue or blue, but you can find varieties with white, pink or purple flowers. There is also a two-color variety - blue with a white “eye”.
On a note. Lobelia can grow not only in flower beds, but also in pots as an indoor flower.
This is a biennial or perennial herbaceous plant from the Plantain family. Foxglove has a rigid, unbranched stem up to 1.5 m high and lanceolate leaves arranged alternately.
The flowers of this plant are irregular in shape and can be yellow, purple or reddish. They are collected in apical racemose inflorescences. The flowering period of foxglove occurs in June or August, after which the fruit appears in the form of a capsule with brown seeds.
Planting material remains viable for up to 3 years. When working with foxglove, precautions should be taken as it is highly poisonous.
Ostrovskya is a non-poisonous perennial, reaching 100-120 cm in height. It has large white bell-shaped flowers that appear as early as June.
This culture is actively used in landscape design. It prefers to grow on slurry or loamy soils with moderate humidity and normal acidity, and is best placed in the sun.
The peculiarity of Ostrovskaya is that it does not tolerate cold weather at all, and in winter it is better to move it into a container with soil and cover it indoors.
There are more than 10 varieties of this plant, most of which are actively used in landscape design. This culture attracts attention with the incredible beauty of its leaves and inflorescences.
Fritillaries belong to the bulbous plants of the Liliaceae family and have elongated leaves with a glossy surface, painted in an emerald green hue. In some varieties they are arranged in two rows.
Fritillary flowers are arranged in groups of 5-7 pieces. The color of the petals can be yellow, white, cream, pink, bright orange or red. Their size varies depending on the variety.
With regular moderate watering, the flowering period of hazel grouse lasts 40-50 days, while the first buds appear in mid-June.
There are about 10 species of this perennial crop, which are distributed in Northern Iran, the Mediterranean and the Caucasus. Symphiandra, despite its attractive appearance, is not very well known among gardeners and prefers rocky soil.
It can be recognized by its smooth stems, which bear a small amount of foliage. The flowers are large hanging bells, collected in spherical or paniculate inflorescences. The petals are usually white or blue.
Cyananthus are perennial herbaceous plants from the Campanula family. The culture is most widespread in the tropical regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
There are about 10 species of this plant. It is a low bush up to 10 cm high with an underdeveloped root having a rod-like shape. The leaves of cyananthus are very small in size and densely arranged. The flowers are also small, light blue in color and appear in mid-summer.
Cyananthus is not capricious and can grow both in the sun and in the shade. When cultivating this plant, you need to know that waterlogging and stagnation of water are contraindicated. In addition, the crop does not tolerate cold well and should be removed indoors for the winter.
Broadbell or Platycodon
The second name of this culture comes from the Greek words “platys” (“wide”) and “kodon” (“bell”), which corresponds to the shape of the flowers. There is only one species of this plant, which has become widespread in regions such as Eastern Siberia, the Far East, northeastern China, Korea and Japan.
It is a perennial with fleshy rhizomes, reaching a height of up to 60 cm. The stems of the plant are straight and thin, with narrow, elongated leaves with fine-toothed edges densely located on them. Broadbell flowers are large, up to 8 cm in diameter and have white, blue or dark purple petals. They are collected in paniculate inflorescences and appear in mid-July.
At the end of the flowering period, a fruit is formed in the form of an egg-shaped capsule with flat and shiny seeds, of which there can be up to 800 pieces.
For normal development, the broad bell requires dry, loose soil enriched with nutrients. The culture prefers open sunny meadows, but can also grow in partial shade. The main thing is to avoid stagnation of water and waterlogging of the roots.
From this article you learned the names of common types of flowers that look like bells. But before you decorate your yard with any of the listed plant varieties, you should carefully study the rules for planting the chosen crop and the principles of caring for it.
