Campanula portenschlagiana
Serbian bellflower
Common names: Dalmatian bellflower, Portenschlag's bellflower, Wall bellflower
At a glance
- Light
- Partial shade
- Pot size
- from 5 l
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- Flowering
- Jun–Aug
- Hardiness
- Hardy down to −25 °C
- Water need
- Medium
Photo: Kurt Stüber [1] · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
This description was machine-translated.
Description
Campanula portenschlagiana, the Dalmatian bellflower, comes from limestone cliffs in Dalmatia and forms dense mats in the garden. Its heart-shaped, glossy green leaves stay only 10 to 15 cm high, while the cushions spread to 40 to 50 cm over time. From June to August the foliage is covered by many violet-blue, widely open bells that attract bees and bumblebees. It thrives in full sun as well as in light partial shade and tolerates thin soil. It is used in rock gardens, wall joints and dry stone walls, as a bed edging, on graves and in containers. It spreads by short runners and can overgrow weaker neighbors, so give it a place where it is free to grow.
Care instructions
Plant the Dalmatian bellflower in spring or September in a sunny to partially shaded spot with loose, well-drained soil, keeping about 30 cm between plants. In harsh midday sun it dries out faster, and in deep shade it flowers sparsely. Water regularly during dry spells, especially in containers, but avoid waterlogging. It needs little fertilizer. Cut back spent flowers after the main bloom in August, which keeps the cushions compact and encourages a second flush of flowers. Protect fresh spring shoots from snails by collecting them in the evening. If the plant spreads too far, cut back the edges with a spade.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Garden year
SowingMar–May
FloweringJun–Aug
Germination
- Soil temperature
- from 12 °C, ideally 18 °C
- Days to sprout
- 14 to 28 days
- Light
- Needs light to sprout
- Sowing depth
- Press in, don't cover
- How to start
- Start indoors, then plant out
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
well-drained, humus-rich, loamy
The Dalmatian bellflower grows in loose, humus-rich and free-draining soil that stays evenly fresh. It is adaptable: sandy loam, stony wall crevices and chalky soils are no problem, only waterlogging it does not tolerate. On heavy clay, mix in sand or fine gravel. In wall crevices it finds a hold and enough root space if some soil and moisture collect there.
Feeding
Light feeder
Months
Apr
The Dalmatian bellflower is undemanding. In the bed, a thin layer of mature compost in April is enough. In a container, replace the top layer of soil with fresh potting compost in spring; it needs no more fertiliser than that. Too much food makes it form more leaves than flowers.
Overwintering
The Dalmatian bellflower is hardy and partly stays green in mild winters. In the bed and in wall crevices you do not need to do anything; only waterlogging harms it. Cut off old leaves and shoots only in early spring. In a container, place the pot against a sheltered house wall so that the root ball does not freeze through, and water only sparingly on frost-free days.
Propagation
Methods
- Division
- Cuttings
- From seed
The easiest way is to divide the Dalmatian bellflower. In spring or autumn, separate pieces with roots of their own that form on the short runners, and plant them immediately. Cuttings from non-flowering shoot tips also root in sandy soil in early summer. Sowing is possible: the seeds are very fine, so scatter them on seed compost from March, only press them in and keep them evenly moist, as they need light to germinate. The young plants often flower only in their second year.
For your garden
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