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Fairy Bells Campanula persicifolia

Phonetic Spelling
kam-pan-YOO-luh per-sis-ih-FOH-lee-uh
Description

Peach-leaved Bellflower is an herbaceous perennial with showy white to lavender-blue flowers. This bellflower is easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. They prefer cool weather climates and need afternoon shade and additional water in zone 7. Deadhead spent blooms to promote additional flowers. Bellflowers will self-seed in optimal conditions but are not invasive. Clumps can be divided every 2-4 years as needed.  

The racemes of the bell-shaped flowers are showy and make good cut flowers. Use this plant in the perennial border, in groupings, open woodland or naturalized areas where they can spread.

Many cultivars and varieties exist to increase the range of size and flower color available for this plant.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Alba'
    Pure white flowers
  • 'Chettle Charm'
    Creamy white edged with lavender
  • 'Pride of Exmouth'
    2' tall plants with semi-double violet blue blooms
  • ‘Takion Blue’
    Dwarf variety
  • ‘Takion White’
    Dwarf white selection
  • 'Telham Beauty'
    3' tall plants with large pale blue blooms
'Alba', 'Chettle Charm', 'Pride of Exmouth', ‘Takion Blue’, ‘Takion White’, 'Telham Beauty'
Tags:
#hummingbird friendly#evergreen#showy flowers#full sun tolerant#white flowers#semi-evergreen#blue flowers#low maintenance#cottage garden#mounding#well-drained soil#deer resistant#lavender flowers#glossy leaves#herbaceous perennial#cool weather plant#border planting#self-seeding#cutting garden#pollinator plant#clumping#naturalized area#partial shade tolerant
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Alba'
    Pure white flowers
  • 'Chettle Charm'
    Creamy white edged with lavender
  • 'Pride of Exmouth'
    2' tall plants with semi-double violet blue blooms
  • ‘Takion Blue’
    Dwarf variety
  • ‘Takion White’
    Dwarf white selection
  • 'Telham Beauty'
    3' tall plants with large pale blue blooms
'Alba', 'Chettle Charm', 'Pride of Exmouth', ‘Takion Blue’, ‘Takion White’, 'Telham Beauty'
Tags:
#hummingbird friendly#evergreen#showy flowers#full sun tolerant#white flowers#semi-evergreen#blue flowers#low maintenance#cottage garden#mounding#well-drained soil#deer resistant#lavender flowers#glossy leaves#herbaceous perennial#cool weather plant#border planting#self-seeding#cutting garden#pollinator plant#clumping#naturalized area#partial shade tolerant
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Campanula
    Species:
    persicifolia
    Family:
    Campanulaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Division
    Seed
    Stem Cutting
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Europe, Northern and West Asia
    Distribution:
    northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada
    Wildlife Value:
    Attracts hummingbirds, butterflies
    Play Value:
    Attractive Flowers
    Attracts Pollinators
    Dimensions:
    Height: 1 ft. 6 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Herbaceous Perennial
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Deciduous
    Semi-evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Clumping
    Erect
    Mounding
    Growth Rate:
    Medium
    Maintenance:
    Low
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    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:
    Alkaline (>8.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Available Space To Plant:
    12 inches-3 feet
    NC Region:
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Summer
    Fruit Type:
    Capsule
    Fruit Description:
    The fruit is a strongly-veined conical capsule
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Blue
    Purple/Lavender
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Raceme
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Good Cut
    Long Bloom Season
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Bell
    Crown
    Star
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    fused petals
    Flower Size:
    1-3 inches
    Flower Description:
    1.5-inch outward-facing bell-shaped flowers are wider than they are long and appear on terminal racemes. They occur in shades of white, purples and blues in late spring to early summer. They are held well above the foliage on erect, slender stems.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Deciduous
    Semi-evergreen
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Glossy
    Leathery
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Rosulate
    Whorled
    Leaf Shape:
    Lanceolate
    Linear
    Spatulate
    Leaf Margin:
    Crenate
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    > 6 inches
    Leaf Width:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Description:
    Basal rosettes of narrow, toothed, leathery, leaves are 4-8” long and are slightly spatulate. They may be semi-evergreen to evergreen, depending on the winter climate. The 4-inch upper leaves are lanceolate to linear with rounded teeth on the margins.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Green
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Cross Section:
    Angular
    Stem Surface:
    Hairy (pubescent)
    Stem Description:
    Stems are erect, unbranched and slightly angular
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Meadow
    Naturalized Area
    Woodland
    Landscape Theme:
    Butterfly Garden
    Cottage Garden
    Cutting Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Design Feature:
    Border
    Mass Planting
    Small groups
    Attracts:
    Butterflies
    Hummingbirds
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer
    Rabbits