Campanula lactiflora

Campanula lactiflora, the milky bellflower, is a particularly floriferous and tall species, perfect for natural gardens. This vigorous perennial charms with its large dense panicles of pale blue bell-shaped flowers that appear all summer long on a wide green clump. It carries its flowers on tall stems adorned with numerous lanceolate medium green, slightly rough leaves. It is a magnificent plant for a rustic or wild-inspired border and easy to grow in moist and deep soil, sheltered from strong winds to protect its flowering.

Campanula lactiflora is a herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the campanulaceae family. It is native to the Caucasus and eastern Turkey. It grows in a wide clump, reaching a height of 120 cm (47in) to 150 cm (59in), with a minimum spread of 60 cm (24in). Flowering occurs from June to August, in the form of large conical inflorescences adorned with numerous pale blue star-shaped bell flowers. If the floral stem is cut back after flowering, this plant will produce lateral shoots capable of reflowering in late autumn. The narrow leaves measure 5 to 12 cm (2 to 5in) in length and have toothed edges. This plant can self-seed in humus-bearing, moist soil.

Campanula lactiflora is primarily a lovely wild plant, perfectly suited to most climates, which contributes to the biodiversity of our gardens. As such, it has a rightful place in a natural border where one does not mind it spreading. It will be perfect in the company of other lovely wildflowers: mulleins, Spanish lavender (Centranthus ruber), wild chicory, sainfoin, purple coneflower, fennel, field scabious... Its simplicity combined with the tenderness of the flowers of the immense Anemone hybrida x 'Robustissima' works well alongside the roundness of old roses, and softens the heavy corollas of deep red peonies.

In our rich garden soil, it reaches grand proportions. We grow it among shrubs that support the flexible stems of 2 to 3 metres (7 to 10 feet) in length.

About bellflowers:

The crown of the bellflower grows white stolons spreading underground in all directions ensuring the long-term viability of the plant. The numerous upright stems that arise from this crown or stolons can be fertile or sterile. Thus, when one sees a large population of bellflowers, there are often only clones of a single individual in reality. On the other hand, different species of bellflowers hybridize very easily with each other and are often accompanied by a whole range of intermediate forms, which makes them very interesting for horticulturists.