Fairy's thimble
Campanula cochleariifolia. Family Campanulaceae. Perennial.
Also called Fairy thimbles, Earleaf bellflower.
Fairy's thimble is a small, spreading alpine perennial from European mountains, grown for its nodding, pale blue bells in summer. It makes low patches among rocks and along gravel edges, where its roots can stay cool without sitting in wet soil.
At a glance
- Sun
- Full sun in cool climates; light afternoon shade where summers are warmer.
- Water
- Keep lightly moist during active growth, allowing the surface to dry slightly between waterings. Avoid waterlogged soil, especially in winter.
- Soil
- Gritty, sharply drained soil with some organic matter; neutral to alkaline soil suits it well.
- Height
- 0.25-0.5 ft (0.08-0.15 m)
- Spread
- 1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m), gradually spreading farther where conditions suit it
- Flowers
- Early to late summer; small, nodding bells, usually pale blue to lavender-blue. White-flowered forms are also grown.
- Foliage
- Small, rounded to spoon-shaped green basal leaves, with narrower leaves on the short flowering stems. Usually deciduous, though some foliage may persist in mild winters.
- Growth
- Moderate; spreads by slender underground stems.
- Care needed
- Low
The year at a glance
- Pollinators
- Low allergen
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowers | ||||||||||||
| Plant |
Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Toughness
- Fairly tough
Will it suit your garden?
Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.
Full sun is 6 or more hours of direct sun a day, part shade 3 to 6 hours, shade under 3.
How it grows
Planting day
0.4 ft (0.12 m)
full size
About 3 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.
Good to know
- Cats and dogs
- Safe
- Growth rate
- Moderate
Care
Jobs through the year
- WaterApr–May, Sep, every 7 days
- Water established patches if dry, allowing the surface to dry slightly; water new plants more often.
- WaterJun–Aug, every 5 days
- Water established patches in dry weather before shallow roots dry out completely.
- MulchMar–Apr
- Maintain a thin gravel mulch without burying crowns; avoid deep organic mulch.
- FeedApr
- Only in poor soil, apply a light balanced fertiliser.
- DivideMar–Apr
- Divide crowded patches and lift rooted shoots encroaching on neighbouring plants.
- DeadheadJun–Aug, every 7 days
- Snip off faded flower stems to tidy the patch and encourage further flowers.
- PruneFeb–Mar
- Remove dead foliage without cutting into living crowns.
- ProtectMar–May, every 7 days
- Check around stones for slugs and snails and remove pests.
- ProtectJan–Feb, Oct–Dec, every 14 days
- Clear fallen leaves and drainage channels to prevent crowns sitting wet.
- Water during dry spells so the shallow roots do not dry out completely.
- Plant in a raised pocket, rock crevice or gritty bed where winter rain drains freely.
- Apply a thin gravel mulch around the crowns rather than a deep organic mulch.
- Feed sparingly; a light spring application of balanced fertiliser is enough in poor soil.
- Divide crowded patches in spring and remove shoots that spread into neighbouring cushions.
Pruning. Snip off faded flower stems after flowering to keep the patch tidy and encourage a few more blooms. Remove dead foliage in late winter or early spring without cutting into the living crowns.
Through the year
- Early spring
- Remove dead leaves and check that crowns have not become buried under debris.
- Spring
- Plant or divide clumps, watering them in and maintaining moisture while they establish.
- Late spring
- Check tender growth for slugs and snails, particularly around stones and pots.
- Summer
- Water during dry weather and remove faded flower stems.
- Autumn
- Trim back unwanted spreading shoots and clear fallen leaves from the patch.
- Winter
- Keep drainage holes and nearby drainage channels clear; do not let pots stand in water.
In the garden
- Tuck into rock-garden crevices so the bells hang over stone.
- Plant along the front of a small border, where taller plants will not hide it.
- Grow in an alpine trough with saxifrages and houseleeks for contrasting leaf shapes.
- Let small patches soften the edges of gravel paths away from foot traffic.
Garden styles it suits: Alpine rock garden, Mountain lodge, Cottage garden, Dry gravel garden, Small-space and Blues and silvers.
Plant it with: Mossy saxifrage, Houseleek, Alpine pinks, Rock cress and Dwarf thrift.
Wildlife: The flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees and other small flower-visiting insects.
Problems to watch for
- Slugs and snails can eat young leaves and flowers; inspect after dark, remove them by hand and use labelled iron-phosphate bait if needed.
- Crown and root rot can develop in wet soil; improve drainage, keep mulch away from crowns and discard badly rotted plants.
- Hot, dry conditions can cause wilting and poor flowering; provide afternoon shade and water the root zone before it dries out completely.
- Spreading underground stems can crowd small alpines; lift unwanted shoots with their roots and divide the patch when necessary.
Safety
Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses; no poisonous parts are recognised. It is an ornamental plant rather than a food crop.
Easily confused with
Carpathian bellflower (Campanula carpatica)
Forms larger, tidier clumps with broad, upward-facing, open cup-shaped flowers rather than small, hanging bells.
Dalmatian bellflower (Campanula portenschlagiana)
Has more angular, toothed leaves and outward-facing, open bell-shaped flowers, usually in deeper violet-blue.
Serbian bellflower (Campanula poscharskyana)
Produces longer trailing stems and widely flared, star-shaped flowers rather than narrow, nodding bells.
The name
Campanula means 'little bell', cochleariifolia refers to the spoon-shaped leaves, and fairy's thimble describes the tiny bell-shaped flowers.
Propagation. Divide rooted patches in spring, keeping each piece moist until established. Sow seed in a cool, sheltered position; surface-sow or cover only very lightly with fine grit. Divide named forms to preserve their characteristics.
Checked against open data
- Accepted botanical name
- Campanula cochleariifolia
- Native range
- Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Spain, Switzerland and Yugoslavia.
- Measured
- Average height 4 cm.
Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.
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