Campanula species - various.

[McGregor]

Benary's nursery still exists in Germany and they currently list three Campanulas with "Clips®" in the name. These are

Campanula carpatica 'Clips® Blau', 'Clips® Tiefblau' and 'Clips® Weiss' [Blue, Deep Blue, and White]

They introduce quite a number of plants each year but these campanulas are pretty old ones now (or at least I seem to have been seeing the name for a good long time.)

[Lori S.]

Thanks for that confirmation, Malcolm. 

[Lori S.]

Here's one that started blooming today... Campanula thyrsoides, far from its native habitat in European subalpine meadows.  It's one of the few Campanula with "yellow" flowers...  well, sort of yellowish, at least.  
This article (http://www.botany.unibe.ch/planteco/abstr_repr/PerspPlantEcolEvolSyst_9_37.pdf) states that the species may take up to 8 years to bloom in the wild.  Fortunately, its cycle seems to be much accelerated in the garden!  It is monocarpic, though. (And, on that note, to think that I was concerned at one time that the last of the seed-raised batch had finally bloomed and I'd no longer have it... actually, it turns out I've got about a dozen of them scattered about.  This is one monocarp/biennial that seems to want to hang around!)

[Howey]

Lori - I too have Campanula thyrsoides flowering for the first time - at least what is left of it.  Rabbits ravaged the leaves early on and the poor plant is somewhat distorted but the blooms are there nevertheless.  Even if it is monocarpic, is there a possibility that it will produce viable seeds? - must be, since I got seeds from the NARGs seedex a few years ago.  Saw it growing a few years back at the Montreal Botanic Garden - really nice.  Terribly dry and hot here and most plants suffering.  However, Ipomopsis rubra is doing magnificently despite it.  Must make sure they are placed where they can be seen by passers by on the street.  Not hard to spot as they are very tall and very red.  Fran

Frances Howey
London, Ontario, Canada
Zone 5b

[Lori S.]

Fran, my plants have produced loads of viable seeds.  (Having said that, it's getting monocarps/biennials to be self-sustaining in my yard that I often have problems with - maybe due to the mulch - not a problem with this one though.)

[RickR]

Campanula thyrsoides is nice.  We have it in the Aroboretum rock garden, too, although it doesn't seem to like it very much.  When I grew it, I was afraid it was going to have TOO many seeds.   One spike must produce millions!  It scared me a little, so I used them for a flower bouquet for Mom.

Lori, what is that blue/purple companion in the photo?  It sure makes a splashing combination with the campanula.

[Lori S.]

It's Salvia verticillata 'Purple Rain'.

[Lori S.]

Not a great showing in the harsh conditions of this crevice garden by Campanula seraglio:
 

[Lori S.]

Campanula besenginica, from seed last year:
 

[Hoy]

Campanulas are among my favorites too! However I tend to like those that I can grow "wild". Here is C. glomerata growing "wild" at our summerhouse. I once collected a rhizome at the roadverge. Now it covers several square meters

[Lori S.]

Campanula betulifolia, a little past its best:

[Lori S.]

A self-sown C. xcarpatica (I assume), softening the edges of the Opuntia trough... I suspect some hanky-panky between my C. carpatica ex. 'Blue Clips' and C. xcarpatica 'Samantha' (second photo), in creating that more open-faced flower...
 

Symphyandra hofmannii.... now Campanula hofmannii, apparently.


C. xcarpatica 'Thor Pedo':

[RickR]

I thought Samantha was an annual?
Is the suspect hybrid perennial?

One of our Chapter members has a dead ringer for Campanula wanneri, but it is totally perennial for 5 years so far.  So we suspect it might be a hybrid too.

[Lori S.]

No, 'Samantha' is a perennial.  This patent (not for 'Samantha', but for the similar 'Royal Wave') claims that 'Samantha' is a hybrid of Campanula 'Pseudoraineri' (itself a hybrid of C. raineri and C. carpatica) and C. carpatica. It also claims that 'Samantha' is a sterile hybrid... I find it hard to believe any Campanula might be sterile!
http://www.patentstorm.us/applications/20050283876/description.html

Yes, the plant by the trough is perennial too.

C. persicifolia "Moerheimii':

 

[Lori S.]

One of our Chapter members has a dead ringer for Campanula wanneri, but it is totally perennial for 5 years so far.  So we suspect it might be a hybrid too.

Interesting... could you show a photo of it?

Campanula barbata is most often a biennial but the plants I have are in their 6th year now.  Edit:  Correction - 5th year.