1 named cultivar

‘Rapido Blue’Rapido Blue Bellflower

perennial

Bellflower

The Story

Plant Bio

Campanula rapunculus, or rampion, is a biennial bellflower from Europe, western Asia and northern Africa. It spends its first year as a low basal rosette over a thickened white root, then sends up branching stems two to three feet high in its second summer, carrying narrow spires of lilac-blue or white bells from July to August.

It is a biennial, not a perennial, so a plant that flowers is finished afterwards and the patch continues only from seed; sow in two consecutive years to get flowers every season. Both the root and the young leaves were historically eaten as a vegetable, which is where the name in the Rapunzel story comes from.

Uses & Benefits:

Narrow spires of lilac-blue bells in mid to late summer on a tall airy frame.

A historic dual-purpose plant, grown for its edible thickened root and young leaves as much as its flowers.

Bell flowers are worked by bumblebees at a point in summer when many spring bellflowers are over.

Essentials

At a Glance

Plant Type

Perennial

Height

30 inches

Width

12 inches

Light

Full Sun, Partial Sun

Zones

4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Water

Medium

Humidity

Average

Lifespan

Biennial

Native To

Northern Africa, western Asia and Europe

Toxicity

Edible

Planting

How to Grow

Sow seed in early summer for flowers the following year.
Choose full sun, or part shade where summers are hot.
Use average, medium-moisture, well-drained soil.
Keep the soil regularly moist while plants grow.
Sow again the next year to keep flowers coming annually.
Leave some plants to seed if you want a self-sustaining patch.

Pro Tip

Sow in two consecutive years from the start; with a single sowing you get a year of rosettes and then a gap.

Keep It Thriving

Care Guide

Do

Sow in consecutive years for annual flowers 🌱
Give it full sun in cool-summer regions ☀️
Keep the soil regularly moist 💧
Let a few plants seed to sustain the patch 🌸

Don't

Expect a flowered plant to return the next year ❌
Let the soil dry out during growth ❌
Site it in deep shade ❌

Seasonal Care Calendar

Task	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Harvest
Sow

Watch Out For

Pests & Diseases

Common Pests

Common Diseases

In the Garden

Landscape Uses & Companions

Landscape Uses

Herb and kitchen garden plantingCottage garden borderInformal vegetable garden edging

Companion Plants

Chives Salad Burnet Borage Lovage Hardy Geranium

Multiply

Propagation Methods

Good to Know

Common Questions

Bellflower questions

What zones can Bellflower grow in?

Bellflower is hardy in USDA Zones 4–8. Inside that range it survives winter in the ground; outside it, grow it as an annual or a container plant you protect.

Is Bellflower deer resistant?

Yes — Bellflower is rated deer-resistant. Deer typically pass it over, though extreme hunger can override any plant's defenses.

When does Bellflower bloom?

Bellflower typically blooms in mid to late summer through early summer. Exact timing shifts a week or two with your zone — Sow's bloom calendar maps it to your garden.

Does Bellflower need full sun?

Bellflower does best in full sun to part shade. In hot climates, afternoon shade keeps blooms fresher longer.