CAMPANULA 



CAMPANULA 



227 



is the most variable feature of all, and in the scheme 

 below C. CarfHtih-a and (\ />nn<-tafa especially will seem 

 wrongly placed to many. But the characters used by 

 De Candolle in vol. 7, part 2 of the Prodromus are well- 

 nigh useless to the gardener, and nothing else but a 

 distinction of height can bring out the two important 

 cultural groups of Campanulas, viz: Border or tall 

 kinds, and rock-garden or dwarf kinds. The best gar- 

 den 7iionograph of Campanulas is by F. W. Meyer, in 

 The Garden, 48:294-299 (1895). See, also, The Garden 

 for May in, 1899, and 8: 173-180 (1875). 



The most popular of all Campanulas is the Canterbury 

 Bell (C. Medium and its var. calycantkema). Of all 

 wild forms the best known is certainly C. rotund i folia, 

 the true "Hairbell," or "Blue Bells of Scotland." Of the 

 border kinds, the 6 most popular are probably C. Me- 

 dium, C. rotundifolia (in its many forms), C. pyramid- 

 all^, ('. pcrxicifolia. C 1 . glomerata and C, Carpatica. 

 Of the rock-garden kinds, the most popular in America 

 are possibly C. Carpatica, C.ca>spitosa,&nd. C.rotundi- 

 folia. The greatest curiosities are C. punctata, C. mac- 

 rostyla, C. Zoysii and C. rotundifolia, var. soldanellce- 

 flora . For exhibition and for pot-culture, C. pyramida Us 

 is most used. For pendent effects in rockeries, baskets 

 or window boxes, C. fragilis is best. For edgings, C. 

 Cut- i>at tea is perhaps the favorite. For large, isolated 

 specimens, C. pyramldalis, the tallest species, is best. 

 F. W. Meyer's choice of varieties and classification 

 should be consulted by all who intend to import Cam- 

 panulas.' England is probably the most favored spot in 

 the world for the culture of Bell-flowers, and the Eng- 

 lish dealers offer the greatest variety. Unfortunately, 

 Campanula-culture is at a low ebb in America to-day, 

 partly because the plants are less hardy here, and also 

 because rock-gardens and amateurs' collections are less 

 frequent than in England. Many failures with Campan- 

 ulas, however, are directly traceable to ignorance of 

 their natural term of life. Some species are perennial 

 in the wild, but practically biennial in cultivation, and 

 each kind must be studied by itself. Unless otherwise 

 specified, they are presumed to be perennial. C. Me- 

 dium may be treated as a hardy annual or biennial, or 

 as a tender annual or biennial. The general rule is that 

 Campanulas give the most and best flowers in the sec- 

 ond year, but C. Medium can be sown indoors in early 

 spring and set out later, with the expectation of getting 

 the best bloom the same year. As a rule, all border 

 Campanulas that are propagated by division should be 

 divided every year, or every 2 years at most. Mr. Cam- 

 eron recommends several species which are not de- 

 scribed below, as they can be obtained only through 

 botanic gardens. W. M. 



The genus Campanula is a very important one, and 

 contains many showy and useful plants. Their cultiva- 

 tion is very easy, and most of the strong-growing kinds 

 can be grown in any rich, well-drained garden soil, 

 while the dwarf kinds can be grown in the rockery, and 

 many of them in the front row of the mixed border. 

 Propagation is done either by division, cuttings or seeds. 

 The genus can easily be divided into three groups 

 annuals, biennials, and perennials. 



The annuals can be raised in the border by sowing 

 the seeds late in April or May, or raised in the green- 

 house and then transferred to the border. The best of 

 the annuals are C. ramosissima and var. alba, C. dra- 

 bifolia, C. Erinus, C. macrostyla, and C. Americana. 



Of the biennials, many will flower the first season if 

 the seeds are sown early in spring in the greenhouse 

 and the plants put out-of-doors when the weather is 

 favorable. One of the most important is C. Medium 

 (Canterbury Bells), and its numerous varieties. Its 

 variety calycanthema is so named because the calyx has 

 broadened out into a saucer-shaped secondary flower, 

 which is very showy and interesting. Canterbury Bells 

 are generally raised from seeds, which can be sown in 

 April, May or later, in pots, boxes or beds, and can then 

 be transferred into some sheltered place where they can 

 be slightly protected during the winter, and then trans- 

 planted in spring to their permanent places into good, 

 rich soil, where they will make a great show if they 

 have obtained the right treatment. A few other good 

 biennials are C. primulcefolia, C. Sibirica, C. spicata, 

 and C, thyrsoides, 



Of the perennial species, the best border plants are 

 the following: C. Carpatica and vars. alba and turbi- 

 utitii ; C. glomerata, especially var. Dahurica ; C. lac- 

 fiflora ; C. lati folia, especially its vars. eriocarpa and 

 macrantha; C. nobilis (about 2 ft. in height); C.per- 

 sicifolia and its numerous vars., especially the white 

 kinds ; C. punctata (about 1% ft.); C. pyramidalis, a 

 very showy plant when well grown, but not quite relia- 

 ble in the eastern states as to hardiness ; makes a good 

 pot-plant for the cool greenhouse ; C. rapunculoides, 

 which spreads rapidly and must be so placed that it will 

 not crowd out the other plants that are near it ; C. ro- 

 tundifolia ; C . Trachelium ; C. Van ffouttei, a hybrid, 

 and one of the best bell 

 flowers. 



The following are the best 

 low-growing kinds for the 

 rockery : C. Carpatica and 

 its varieties, C. Caucasica, 

 C. fragilis (which needs 

 protection, but makes a 

 good pot-plant), C. pulla in 

 sheltered position, C. Por- 

 tenschlagiana, C. rotundi- 

 folia, and C. pusilla. Many 

 of the larger-growing kinds 

 are also good for the rock 

 garden. R- CAMERON. 



332. Canterbury Bells 



Campanula Medium. 



Alphabetical list of species described : C. alliariaefo- 

 lia, 3 ; Allionii, 23 ; alpina, 26 ; Americana, 7 ; bar- 

 bata, 24 ; Bononiensis, 16; crespitosa, 41 ; Carpatica, 35; 

 celtidifolia, 11 ; divaricata, 21 ; Elatines, 31; excisa, 42; 

 floribunda, 36 ; fragilis, 29 ; Garganica, 30 ; glome- 

 rata, 10 ; grandis, 9 ; Grossekii, 5 ; ffohenackeri, 27 ; 

 Hostii, 39 ; isophylla, 36 ; lactiflora, 11 ; lamiifolia, 3 ; 

 Langs dor ffiana,^ ; latifolia, 15 ; latiloba, 9; linifolia, 

 var. Scheuchzeri, 40 ; macrantha, 15 ; macrophylla, 3 ; 

 macrostyla, 1 ; Medium, 2 ; mirabilis, 6 ; mollis, 25 ; 

 muralis, 32 ; nobilis, 22 ; persicifolia, 8 ; Portenschla- 

 giana, 32 ; pulla, 38 ; pumila, 41 ; punctata, 22 ; pu- 

 silla, 41; pyramidalis, 14 ; Rainerii, 33; rapunculoides, 

 19; Ranunculus, 44; rhomboidalis, 17; rotundifolia, 39; 

 Ruthenica, 16 ; Sarmatica, 4 ; Scheuchzeri, 40 ; Scou- 

 leri, 37; Sibirica, 27; Soldanella, 39; Tenorii, 34; 

 thyrsoides, 12 ; Trachelium, 18 ; turbinata, 35 ; urtici- 

 folia, 18 ; Valdensis, 40 ; versicolor, 20 ; Vidalli, 13 ; 

 Waldsteiniana, 28 ; Zoysii, 43. 



A. Tall or Border Campanulas, a foot or more high. 



B. Calyx with an appendage at the base of each sinus. 



c. Capsule 5-celled : stigmas 5. 



D. Style excessively long, the stigma an inch or more 



long. 



1. macrdstyla, Boiss. & Heldr. Annual, 1-2 ft. high, 

 branched from the base, hispid with rigid, spreading, 

 scattered bristles : branches stout : Ivs. scattered, 

 small for the size of the plant, sessile, bristly on both 

 surfaces ; lower ones ovate-oblong, acute ; upper ovate- 

 lanceolate, recurved, cordate, eared at the base : calyx 



