Canterbury Bells
Encyclopedia
Campanula medium, common name Canterbury Bells, also known as the bell flower, is an annual
or biennial
flowering plant
of the genus Campanula
, belonging to the family Campanulaceae
. In floriography, it represents gratitude, or faith and constancy.
The flowers are arranged in a racemose inflorescence of extremely long lasting blooms. These attractive bell-shaped flowers are short-stalked, large and hermaphroditic, with different shades of violet-blue or rarely white. The corolla has five fused petals with lightly bent lobes.
The flowering period extends from May to July. The hermaphroditic
flowers are either self-fertilized (autogamy) or pollinated by insects (bees, butterflies, etc.)(entomogamy). The seeds ripen from Aug to September and are dispersed by gravity alone ("barochory").
. It is naturalized in most of European countries and in North America
and it is widely cultivated for its beautiful flowers.
Cultivar
Annual plant
An annual plant is a plant that usually germinates, flowers, and dies in a year or season. True annuals will only live longer than a year if they are prevented from setting seed...
or biennial
Biennial plant
A biennial plant is a flowering plant that takes two years to complete its biological lifecycle. In the first year the plant grows leaves, stems, and roots , then it enters a period of dormancy over the colder months. Usually the stem remains very short and the leaves are low to the ground, forming...
flowering plant
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
of the genus Campanula
Campanula
Campanula is one of several genera in the family Campanulaceae with the common name bellflower. It takes its name from their bell-shaped flowers—campanula is Latin for "little bell"....
, belonging to the family Campanulaceae
Campanulaceae
The family Campanulaceae , of the order Asterales, contains about 2000 species in 70 genera of herbaceous plants, shrubs, and rarely small trees, often with milky non-toxic sap...
. In floriography, it represents gratitude, or faith and constancy.
Etymology
The genus Latin name (“campanula”), meaning small bell, refers to the bell-shape of the flower, while the specific epithet (“medium”) means that this plant has intermediate characteristics in respect of other species of the same genus.Description
Campanula medium reaches approximately 60–80 cm (23.6–31.5 ) in height. This biennial herbaceous plant forms rosettes of leaves in the first year, stems and flowers in the second one. The stem is erect, robust, reddish-brown and bristly hairy. The basal leaves are stalked and lanceolate to elliptical and 12–15 cm (4.7–5.9 ) long with serrated leaf edge. The upper leaves are smaller, lanceolate and sessile, almost embracing the stem.The flowers are arranged in a racemose inflorescence of extremely long lasting blooms. These attractive bell-shaped flowers are short-stalked, large and hermaphroditic, with different shades of violet-blue or rarely white. The corolla has five fused petals with lightly bent lobes.
The flowering period extends from May to July. The hermaphroditic
Hermaphrodite
In biology, a hermaphrodite is an organism that has reproductive organs normally associated with both male and female sexes.Many taxonomic groups of animals do not have separate sexes. In these groups, hermaphroditism is a normal condition, enabling a form of sexual reproduction in which both...
flowers are either self-fertilized (autogamy) or pollinated by insects (bees, butterflies, etc.)(entomogamy). The seeds ripen from Aug to September and are dispersed by gravity alone ("barochory").
Distribution
Campanula medium originates in southern EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. It is naturalized in most of European countries and in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and it is widely cultivated for its beautiful flowers.
Habitat
It grows on stony, rocky and bushy slopes, at an altitude of 0–1500 m (0–4,921.3 ) above sea level.Gardening
In gardens, they are best in massed planting in borders or among shrubs. It prefers cool or warm zones; not suitable for the tropics or hot, dry regions. Seeds take 14-21 days to germinate. The plant thrives in lightly shaded to sunny locations in well-drained soil. Canterbury Bells grows nicely in flower beds, borders, and containers. Keep well watered.Uses
This flower works well cut in floral arrangements. Beekeepers sometimes use the Canterbury Bell for making potently sweet honey. CultivarCultivarA cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
s
- Campanula medium 'Alba'
- Campanula medium 'Bells of Holland'
- Campanula medium 'Caerulea'
- Campanula medium 'Calycanthema'
- Campanula medium 'Champion Blue (dark flowers)
- Campanula medium 'Champion lavender' (light blue flowers)
- Campanula medium 'Champion Pink' (pink flowers)
- Campanula medium 'Chelsea Pink' (pink flowers)
- Campanula medium 'Muse Rose'
- Campanula medium 'Rosea'
- Campanula medium 'Russian Pink'