Bellflower: Tips for planting & care

The beautiful bluebells herald the summer. Here you will learn everything important from planting to caring for the bluebell in the garden.

The graceful bluebell (campanula) seems to have sprung entirely from the world of fairies. Let yourself be enchanted by their beautiful, delicate flowers and add their summery freshness to your garden.

Blue flowers have always fascinated people. In the Romantic period, they were the symbol of love, longing and infinity. Many poems have been written about it. Bellflowers also adhere to these ideas, because they shine in the most diverse shades of blue.

Bellflower: origin and properties

Bluebells are a very large genus of plants. They are found worldwide, but more in the northern hemisphere. As a constant companion, they can be found on the mountain meadows of the Alps as well as on the colorful flower meadows or at the edge of the forest. And because they are so delicate and beautiful, they have also conquered our gardens for over two hundred years. Most bluebells are perennial. Its bell-shaped flowers shine in the most beautiful shades between white and purple. Be it pure white, strong blue, deep purple, soft pink or spring-like lilac colors - the bluebells have everything.

Flowering time of the bellflower

Bluebells bloom all summer, depending on the species and variety, the beautiful colorful flowers appear between May and August. The flowering period extends over a long period of time. This is perfect for pollinators like bees, hoverflies or native butterflies.

Bluebell Species and Varieties

Bluebells are a very species-rich genus of plants. Over 300 species of bluebells can be found worldwide. This does not even take into account all the varieties that have been bred in the meantime.

Peach-leaved Bellflower

You may know the peach-leaved bellflower (Campanula persicifolia). The 'Grandiflora Coreolea' variety, which can be up to 90 cm tall, is pretty in its beautiful blue-violet colour. On the other hand, the dwarf variety 'Alba' of the subspecies is completely different nitida. It shines in white and is even ideal for rock gardens. More information about Peach-leaved Bellflower you'll find here.

Hardy bluebell species

Many types of bluebells are readily hardy. These include the peach-leaved bellflower and the knotted bellflower (Campanula glomerata). Further hardy bluebell species you'll find here.

bellflower

The bellflower (Campanula medium) is not native to Germany, but is still ideal for your garden. Its bulbous and delicate buds have the perfect bell shape. Two beautiful varieties are the pink one 'Champion Pink' and the filled one ‘White double’.

Other bellflower plants

The bellflower family (Campanulaceae) not only includes genera that look similar to the bellflowers. This family also has a few surprises to offer, be it the Hawaiian palm (Brighamia insignis) or the great lobelia (Lobelia rhynchopetalum) from Ethiopia. You can find out which other plants the bluebells are related to in our article bellflower family read.

Buying bluebells: You should pay attention to this

Bluebells come in a variety of sizes and shades of blue, purple, pink, or white. Depending on the species, bluebells are more ground cover or more perennials. These are of course important decision criteria. However, you should pay particular attention to the life cycle of the plant. Most bluebells are perennials, but annual and biennial species also occur. The perennials are often hardy, but some more than others. Take this into account if you live in a harsher region. More information about hardy bluebells we have prepared for you here.

Plant bluebells

The right location for a bluebell is definitely a sunny one. Most species feel most comfortable in full sun, but they also like light shade. The soil should be slightly moist and very well drained. However, the plant with the eye-catching flowers does not get wet feet at all. A humus-rich substrate with a neutral or slightly alkaline pH is the optimal substrate for your bellflower.

Plant bluebells in the garden

Depending on whether you have chosen a towering, a small and compact or a creeping variety of bluebells, the perfect planting location is different. The possibilities are varied: in the rock garden, interspersed in a wild meadow, under sparse deciduous bushes, along a fence or in the middle of a perennial bed. It is important that the bellflower gets a sunny or at most slightly shady place with humus-rich or slightly humus-rich soil.

To plant the bluebell, first dig a hole twice the size of the root ball. Then put enough of the excavated and loosened soil back into the hole so that the top edge of the root ball is level with the surface of the soil when you put it in. Then add the rest of the soil around the plant ball. It is best to work some slow-release fertilizer like ours right away Plantura organic flower fertilizer into the loose soil. In this way you give your bellflower the best possible start and provide it with all the important nutrients right from the start.

Now press the plant lightly and water it well. In the right location, bluebells will usually multiply on their own. Not that they would overgrow everything, but they keep themselves without any action. This happens on the one hand through seeds, on the other hand through runners. You can also propagate the plant by sowing seeds or dividing it.

Summary of the right location for bluebells:

• Sunny or slightly shaded
• Slightly humus-rich to humus-rich substrate
• Earth slightly alkaline or neutral
• Good water permeability, no waterlogging
• Moist soil, only moderately moist in the rock garden

Bellflower in a pot for the balcony and terrace

In the past, bluebells were particularly popular in pots. Of course, this is still possible today. The advantage is that the plant can be staged very well. Use commercially available garden soil for planting. This should be peat free as peat is slightly acidic and bluebells prefer neutral if not slightly alkaline pH levels. Our peat-free is ideal Plantura organic potting soil, which optimally supplies your plants with nutrients. If you mix some sand into the soil, you can increase the water permeability. You can also place a potsherd on the bottom of the pot for optimal water drainage. Also, be sure to use a pot with a drainage hole.

Bluebells as a houseplant

Bluebells can even be kept as indoor plants. The star bellflower (Campanula isophylla). This small species from the north of Italy also blooms in full bloom indoors in summer. Their requirements are similar to those of other bluebells. It loves humus-rich and well-drained substrate, slightly moist soil and lots of light. However, direct sunlight is not really their cup of tea, which is why it is better not to place them too exposed. The plant, which blooms in different shades of blue or white, is also very good in the indoor traffic light.

Caring for bluebells

Bluebells are not demanding. Just do some work in the spring to start growth compost, (horse) manure or ours Plantura organic flower fertilizer into the earth with long-term effects. In dry summers you should make sure that the plant gets moisture from time to time. Potted plants in particular should be watered regularly. Apart from that, bluebells do not require any further care - except in winter, depending on the species, protection against frost.

tip: To prolong the flowering period, you can cut off faded inflorescences at the base. However, it is always better to let a few plants come to seed. This allows the bluebells to multiply naturally and establish themselves in your garden.

Bluebells overwinter

Most bluebells are perennial and easily hardy. These species sprout again fresh in spring. However, some biennial species such as the bellflower are only biennial and not quite as hardy. Therefore, in winter, to protect against frost, place coniferous branches over the plant. The few annual species of bluebells do not survive the winter. More information about Hardiness of Bluebells you'll find here.

Are bluebells poisonous?

With over 300 species, the bluebells are a very extensive genus. There is general disagreement as to whether some of these species are poisonous. What is certain, however, is that they are not fatal to humans. The occurrence of poisoning is also very unlikely. On the contrary: the flowers of the plants are even edible. It may be different for some pets. It is therefore not advisable to feed bluebells specifically. More to Toxicity of bluebells you can find out here.