Campanula rapunculoides
creeping bellflower
Overview
Campanula rapunculoides is a herbaceous perennial growing 24-40 inches (60-100 cm) tall from a spreading network of white rhizomes and a thickened, fleshy taproot. Lower leaves are heart-shaped and long-stalked, 2-5 inches (5-13 cm) long, while upper leaves become narrow and nearly stalkless. Nodding, bell-shaped violet to purple flowers 0.8-1.2 inches (2-3 cm) long line one side of an erect, often unbranched stem, opening from the bottom upward from June to September. Each flower has five pointed, slightly recurved lobes. The plant spreads by brittle rhizomes that regenerate from fragments, and a single plant can produce 3,000-15,000 seeds, allowing rapid colonization. It is classed as a noxious weed in several North American jurisdictions because rhizome fragments left in soil resprout and the deep root resists hand-pulling. Foliage and stems contain milky latex. The deep root system makes established plants persistent once they enter garden beds and lawns. Foliage dies back to the ground after autumn frost.
Native Range
Native to Europe and western Asia, from the British Isles east to Siberia and Iran. Widely naturalized in North America, where it has escaped from gardens into lawns, roadsides, woodland edges, and disturbed ground.Suggested Uses
Occasionally grown in cottage and informal borders for its summer flower spikes, though its spreading habit limits use to contained settings or isolated beds. Suited to areas where its rhizomatous spread can be tolerated or confined. Listed as invasive in parts of North America, where planting is discouraged or regulated.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height2' - 3'4"
Width/Spread1' - 2'
Bloom Information
Blooms from June through September, with flowers opening sequentially from the base of the spike upward. Peak flowering lasts about 4-6 weeks in midsummer. Bloom may extend later in cool, moist seasons and is reduced in dry conditions.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
violet to purpleFoliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grows in full sun to partial shade across a wide range of soils, including clay and disturbed ground. Tolerates drought once established through its deep taproot and needs no supplemental water in most climates. Spread is hard to contain because brittle rhizomes resprout from fragments and the taproot regenerates after the top is removed; repeated digging over several seasons is required to exhaust it. Seeds remain viable in soil for years. Few pests or diseases limit it. Deep root barriers or growing in isolated containers prevents escape into surrounding beds.Pruning
Cut flowering stems before seed sets to reduce spread by seed, as a single stem can carry thousands of seeds. Removing top growth does not kill the plant because regrowth comes from the rhizomes and taproot. Stems die back on their own after frost.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 3 gallons