Dalmatian bellflower

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; give it afternoon shade in hot climates.

Water

Water regularly while establishing. Once rooted, water during prolonged dry spells; avoid constantly wet soil.

Soil

Well-drained, moderately fertile soil, from slightly acidic to alkaline. Tolerates stony soil and limestone crevices but struggles in waterlogged clay.

Height

0.3-0.5 ft (0.1-0.15 m)

Spread

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)

Flowers

Violet-blue, upward- and outward-facing bells in late spring and early summer, often with scattered repeat flowers into early autumn.

Foliage

Small, rounded to heart-shaped green leaves with toothed edges, forming a dense, low mat. Usually evergreen in mild winters, but may lose foliage in colder areas.

Growth

Moderate to fast where conditions suit it; spreads by short creeping stems.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Cold hardy
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.4 ft (0.13 m)

   full size

About 2 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

In the garden

Spreads vigorously: plan to contain it.

Growth rate

Fast

• Water new plants when the surface soil starts to dry, until roots are established.
• During prolonged drought, water at soil level rather than repeatedly wetting the foliage.
• On poor soil, apply a light dressing of compost in spring; avoid heavy feeding.
• Use a thin gravel mulch around the crown where winter damp is a problem, keeping the crown uncovered.
• Divide crowded or thinning mats in spring, and remove rooted runners that stray into neighbouring plants.

Pruning. After the main flowering flush, lightly shear off spent flower stems to encourage fresh growth and possible repeat bloom. In early spring, trim away winter-damaged foliage without cutting deeply into healthy crowns.

Early spring

Remove damaged foliage and check that crowns are not buried under wet leaves or mulch.

Spring

Plant or divide clumps, water them in well and add a little compost if the soil is poor.

Early summer

Check young growth for slugs and snails, especially during damp weather.

After the main summer flowering

Shear off spent flower stems and water if the soil is dry.

Late summer

Lift unwanted rooted runners and replant them elsewhere or give them away.

Late autumn

Clear fallen leaves from the mat and make sure winter rain can drain freely.

• Let it spill over a low retaining wall to soften stone edges with foliage and summer flowers.
• Use it beside stepping stones or along a path edge, away from regular foot traffic.
• Tuck it into rock gardens with low pinks and creeping thyme for contrasting flower shapes and foliage.
• Plant it at the front of a mixed border with hardy geraniums and compact salvias.
• Grow it in a shallow container with drainage holes, allowing the flowering stems to trail over the rim.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, English country, Alpine rock garden, Dry gravel garden, Blues and silvers and Small-space.

Plant it with: Creeping thyme, Maiden pink, Hardy geranium, Perennial candytuft, Saxifrage and Perennial salvia.

Wildlife: The open bell-shaped flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees, including bumblebees.

• Slugs and snails can damage young shoots: remove hiding places, hand-pick at dusk and use labelled iron-phosphate bait if needed.
• Crown and root rot occur in waterlogged soil: improve drainage, keep mulch off the crown and replace badly rotted plants.
• Hot, dry conditions can cause browning and poor flowering: provide afternoon shade and water deeply during extended drought.
• Vigorous mats can crowd small neighbours: cut back the edges and lift unwanted rooted sections in spring.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses; no part is recognised as poisonous. It is not a food plant, and eating substantial amounts of any garden plant may cause digestive upset.

• Serbian bellflower (Campanula poscharskyana)

  Has longer, looser trailing stems and paler flowers split deeply into narrow, star-like lobes; Dalmatian bellflower usually forms a tighter mat with more distinctly bell-shaped flowers.

• Carpathian bellflower (Campanula carpatica)

  Forms a more upright clump with larger, broad, bowl-shaped flowers rather than the smaller bells and creeping mat of Dalmatian bellflower.

Campanula means 'little bell', portenschlagiana honours the Austrian botanist Franz von Portenschlag-Ledermayer, and Dalmatian refers to the plant's native region on the eastern Adriatic coast.

Propagation. Divide established mats in spring or early autumn, keeping roots attached to each section. Root basal cuttings in spring, or grow the species from seed; seedlings from named cultivars may not match the parent.

Accepted botanical name

Campanula portenschlagiana

Native range

Yugoslavia.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.