Spotted bellflower (Campanula punctata 'Cherry Bells')
Campanula punctata 'Cherry Bells', the Spotted bellflower, offers unique cherry-red, pendant blooms. A low-maintenance perennial suitable for zones 5-7.
Complete Plant Information
Overview
The Spotted bellflower, scientifically known as Campanula punctata ‘Cherry Bells’, stands out in the summer garden with its distinct, pendulous, cherry-red, bell-shaped flowers. These unique blooms feature attractive spotting inside the flower tube, providing exceptional visual interest compared to standard bellflowers. This upright, clump-forming perennial brings reliable, long-lasting color to shaded or partially sunny borders.
Campanula punctata ‘Cherry Bells’ is valued by gardeners for its relatively low maintenance profile and its ability to naturalize where conditions are favorable. While it enjoys average soil, successful summer performance is highly temperature-dependent, making site selection crucial in warmer regions. Its spreading habit, via rhizomes and self-seeding, allows it to effectively fill spaces over time.
Gardeners seeking unique structure and color will appreciate the visual texture provided by this cultivar. The contrast between the cherry-red bells and the rounded basal foliage creates a charming cottage garden effect. Planting Campanula punctata ‘Cherry Bells’ ensures a reliable display from early to mid-summer, offering a valuable addition to perennial collections.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Campanulaceae
- Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 5-7
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 1-2 ft
- Spread: 1-2.5 ft
- Bloom Time: June to July
- Bloom Description: Cherry red
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: Low
How to Grow
Plant Campanula punctata ‘Cherry Bells’ in the spring or fall in average, medium, well-drained soil. While it tolerates full sun, it performs best when shielded from the harshest afternoon heat, preferring part shade, especially in hotter climates. Be aware that this plant struggles where night temperatures consistently remain above 70°F, limiting its success in deep southern summers.
Maintenance for the Spotted bellflower is generally low once established. Ensure consistent watering, as it requires medium moisture levels throughout the growing season. Fertilization is typically unnecessary if the soil is reasonably fertile. Deadheading spent blooms can encourage a tidier appearance, though it is not strictly required for overall plant health.
Routine division is recommended for Campanula punctata ‘Cherry Bells’. Divide the clumps every three to four years during the fall to maintain vigor and prevent overcrowding. Since this species spreads freely via rhizomes and self-seeding, monitor its placement, especially in naturalized areas, to keep it from becoming overly aggressive where space is limited.
Landscape Uses
The versatility of Campanula punctata ‘Cherry Bells’ makes it suitable for various garden settings. It excels when grouped or massed in borders, creating drifts of nodding, cherry-red bells from June through July. Its medium size allows it to integrate well into cottage gardens, offering height without overwhelming shorter companions.
Consider using this Spotted bellflower in rock gardens where sharp drainage is naturally available, mimicking its preferred environment. It also finds a home in lightly shaded woodland settings, placed under the high canopy of deciduous trees, providing color where lawn grass struggles. Its ability to naturalize means it is perfect for softening edges along paths or integrating into meadow plantings where its free-spreading nature is an asset rather than a detraction.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
Noteworthy Characteristics
Campanula punctata, commonly called spotted bellflower, is an upright, clump-forming perennial which typically grows 1-2’ tall. Large, drooping, tubular, white to pale pink, bell-like flowers (to 2” long) with purple inside spotting appear in terminal racemes atop erect to slightly arching stems. Stems rise up from basal rosettes of rounded, toothed, medium green leaves (to 5” long). The cultivar ‘Cherry Bells’ features these characteristic pendulous cherry-red bells with inside spotting, providing great texture.
Tolerances
- Deer
Potential Problems
This plant is generally robust, showing no serious insect or disease problems under optimal conditions. The most significant management issue for Campanula punctata ‘Cherry Bells’ is its vigorous spreading habit. If allowed to spread unchecked via its rhizomes and self-seeding, it can quickly dominate less aggressive neighbors. Manage this by dividing clumps every few years or ensuring it is planted with other vigorous groundcovers if placed in a naturalized setting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Spotted bellflower suitable for?
Campanula punctata ‘Cherry Bells’ performs reliably in USDA Zones 5 through 7. Gardeners outside these zones should consider it a borderline perennial or treat it as an annual.
How large does Campanula punctata ‘Cherry Bells’ grow?
This perennial typically reaches a height of 1 to 2 feet tall and spreads between 1 and 2.5 feet wide, forming a spreading clump.
When does Spotted bellflower bloom?
The peak blooming time for this cultivar is from June to July, featuring its signature cherry-red blooms.
What sun exposure does Campanula punctata ‘Cherry Bells’ need?
It thrives in full sun but benefits significantly from part shade, especially if planted in warmer areas where some afternoon relief from intense heat is beneficial.
Conclusion
The Campanula punctata ‘Cherry Bells’ offers essential mid-summer color with its highly distinctive, nodding cherry-red bells, making the Spotted bellflower a valuable, low-maintenance choice for perennial borders. Its ability to naturalize ensures it earns its keep in informal plantings. Before adding this beauty to your landscape, confirm that your location falls within USDA Zones 5-7 and plan for consistent moisture.
Companion Planting
When selecting companions for Campanula punctata ‘Cherry Bells’, consider plants that enjoy similar moisture requirements and benefit from a little afternoon shade. Hostas, especially those with fine textures or lighter variegation, contrast nicely with the bellflower’s foliage and absorb similar light conditions. Astilbe also makes an excellent partner, providing feathery plumes that complement the dangling bells of the Spotted bellflower.
In sunnier spots, pair the Campanula punctata ‘Cherry Bells’ with plants that can handle more light but thrive in medium moisture, such as certain varieties of Salvia or Geranium. This allows the bellflower to anchor the edge of a border while neighboring plants fill out the space behind it with varying heights and textures. Grouping helps manage its spreading nature and enhances the visual impact of the masses of red flowers.
Propagation Tips
Propagation of Campanula punctata ‘Cherry Bells’ is easily achieved through root division. Since division is recommended every 3-4 years to maintain plant vigor, this presents a perfect opportunity to increase your stock. Perform the division in the fall after the foliage has begun to die back but before the ground freezes hard. Gently lift the clump and carefully separate the rhizomes, ensuring each division retains a healthy portion of roots and crown.
Self-seeding also contributes significantly to the natural spread of this Spotted bellflower. If you allow some of the flowers to mature fully, you may find new seedlings emerging the following spring, particularly in moist, partially shaded areas in early spring. These seedlings can be transplanted to desired locations once they are large enough to handle the move.
