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Native alternative(s) for Campanula medium:
Campanula divaricata Campanula divaricata
Plants that fill a similar niche:
Campanula carpatica Flowers
Phlox P. douglasii- creeping phlox
Syringa vulgaris Syringa vulgaris 'Congo'

Cup and Saucer Campanula medium

Other Common Name(s):

Other plants called Cup and Saucer:

Phonetic Spelling
kam-pan-YOO-luh MEED-ee-um
Description

Canterbury Bells is a tall biennial with showy flowers in an interesting cup-and-saucer shape that appears in the summer.

This plant thrives in full sun to partial shade and moist, well-draining soil and reasonably cool temperatures. Afternoon shade or filtered sunlight is necessary for warmer regions. As a biennial, only a low-growing clump or rosette of green leaves will appear in the first year, which should be well mulched in winter. The second year, Canterbury bells flowers will form, usually in summer, atop tall, upright stems. Planting a group together will help plants support each other without staking, although in windy locations stakes may be needed. Plant 12  - 15 inches apart. To have continuous blooms every year, allow some of the flower seed pods to mature and re-seed the flower bed.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Champion'
    2’ tall plants with large (1 ½” wide) prolific flowers in blue or pink.
  • 'Double Melton Bells'
    3’ tall plants with double blooms in dark and pale pink, or dark purple.
'Champion', 'Double Melton Bells'
Tags:
#hummingbird friendly#showy flowers#deciduous#full sun tolerant#biennial#white flowers#easy to grow#pink flowers#pyramidal#blue flowers#low maintenance#cottage garden#rabbit resistant#moist soil#rich soils#deer resistant#lavender flowers#children's garden#herbaceous perennial#self-seeding#English garden#cutting garden#pollinator plant#clumping#sandy soils tolerant#butterfly friendly#partial shade tolerant#bee friendly#patio#bell-shaped flowers#woodland
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Champion'
    2’ tall plants with large (1 ½” wide) prolific flowers in blue or pink.
  • 'Double Melton Bells'
    3’ tall plants with double blooms in dark and pale pink, or dark purple.
'Champion', 'Double Melton Bells'
Tags:
#hummingbird friendly#showy flowers#deciduous#full sun tolerant#biennial#white flowers#easy to grow#pink flowers#pyramidal#blue flowers#low maintenance#cottage garden#rabbit resistant#moist soil#rich soils#deer resistant#lavender flowers#children's garden#herbaceous perennial#self-seeding#English garden#cutting garden#pollinator plant#clumping#sandy soils tolerant#butterfly friendly#partial shade tolerant#bee friendly#patio#bell-shaped flowers#woodland
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Campanula
    Species:
    medium
    Family:
    Campanulaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Biennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Seed
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Southern Europe
    Play Value:
    Attractive Flowers
    Attracts Pollinators
    Colorful
    Easy to Grow
    Edibility:
    Beekeepers may use the Canterbury Bells for making honey.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 1 ft. 6 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Herbaceous Perennial
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Clumping
    Erect
    Pyramidal
    Growth Rate:
    Medium
    Maintenance:
    Low
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    High Organic Matter
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Alkaline (>8.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Available Space To Plant:
    12 inches-3 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Type:
    Capsule
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Blue
    Pink
    Purple/Lavender
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Raceme
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Good Cut
    Long-lasting
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Bell
    Cup
    Saucer
    Star
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    fused petals
    Flower Size:
    1-3 inches
    Flower Description:
    Tall spikes of 2 inches wide broadly bell-shaped flowers appear in late spring to mid-summer.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Rosulate
    Whorled
    Leaf Shape:
    Elliptical
    Lanceolate
    Leaf Margin:
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Description:
    The basal leaves are lanceolate to elliptical and 5–6 in long with a serrated leaf edge and are stalked. The upper leaves are smaller, lanceolate and sessile.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Green
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Form:
    Straight
    Stem Surface:
    Hairy (pubescent)
    Stem Description:
    The stem is erect, robust, reddish-brown and bristly hairy.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Container
    Patio
    Walkways
    Woodland
    Landscape Theme:
    Butterfly Garden
    Children's Garden
    Cottage Garden
    Cutting Garden
    English Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Design Feature:
    Border
    Mass Planting
    Small groups
    Attracts:
    Bees
    Butterflies
    Hummingbirds
    Pollinators
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer
    Rabbits