Culture
Best grown in rich, moist, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Plants prefer cool summer climates where they will tolerate full sun, but prefer part shade (particularly afternoon shade) in hot summer climates. Best flower color probably occurs in part shade. Plants need regular and even moisture. Deadhead spent flowers to encourage additional bloom. Plants will easily remain in a garden and spread by self-seeding.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Campanula trachelium, commonly called nettle-leaved bellflower, is a setose, bushy, upright herbaceous perennial which grows to 3' tall bearing coarse, bristly-pubescent, nettle-like, deeply-toothed leaves (basal leaves are ovate to reniform and stem leaves are ovate-lanceolate) and nodding, tubular-campanulate, open bell-shaped, blue purple to lilac flowers (to 1.5" long) which bloom in summer (July-September) in loose racemes atop erect leafy stems. This plant is native to Europe, North Africa and Asia but has naturalized in thickets and along roadsides in North America (Quebec to Manitoba south to Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania).
Additional common names for this plant include throatwort (sore throat remedy) or bats-in-the-belfry (flower stamens resemble bats hanging inside the bell of a church steeple).
Genus name comes from the Latin campana meaning bell in reference to the bell-shaped flowers.
Specific epithet comes from the Greek word trachelos meaning neck in reference to a former belief that this plant could be used as a medical remedy for sore throat.
Campanula trachelium, commonly called nettle-leaved bellflower, is a setose, bushy, upright herbaceous perennial which grows to 3' tall bearing coarse, bristly-pubescent, nettle-like, deeply-toothed leaves (basal leaves are ovate to reniform and stem leaves are ovate-lanceolate) and nodding, tubular-campanulate, open bell-shaped, blue purple to lilac flowers (to 1.5" long) which bloom in summer (July-September) in loose racemes atop erect leafy stems. This plant is native to Europe, North Africa and Asia but has naturalized in thickets and along roadsides in North America (Quebec to Manitoba south to Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania).
Genus name comes from the Latin word campana meaning little bell in reference to flower shape.
Specific epithet comes from the Greek word trachelos meaning neck in reference to a former belief that this plant could be used as a medical remedy for sore throat.
Additional common names for this plant include throatwort (sore throat remedy) or bats-in-the-belfry (flower stamens resemble bats hanging inside the bell of a church steeple).
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Slugs and snails are occasional visitors. Watch for aphids. Powdery mildew and rust.
Uses
Borders, cottage gardens, wildflower gardens or naturalized areas. Best to plant in groups or mass.