• Photo of Campanula divaricata (Campanula divaricatas)

Plant Profile: Campanula divaricata

Taxonomy: Campanula divaricata

Names

Appalachian Bellflower, Panicled Bellflower, Small Bonny Bellflower, Southern Bluebell, Southern Harebell

  • Photo of Campanula divaricata (Campanula divaricatas)

Phonetic Spelling:kam-PAN-yoo-luh dih-var-ih-KAY-tuh

Genus:Campanula

Species:divaricata

Family:Campanulaceae

Campanula divaricata, commonly known as the Appalachian bellflower, is a perennial wildflower indigenous to the eastern United States. This species typically thrives in the Appalachian Mountains, favoring dry to moderately moist, well-drained, rocky, and acidic soils, often found in locations that receive filtered sunlight to full sun, such as cliffs, rock outcrops, and summits. In late summer, it showcases delicate blue flowers. Once established, the southern harebell exhibits drought resistance and is particularly suited to sloping, open woodlands and rocky terrains.

Campanula divaricata Feature Summary

Campanula divaricata Image Gallery

Tags

#arching
#drought tolerant
#perennial
#wildlife plant
#nectar plant
#blue flowers
#specialized bees
#NC native
#well-drained soil
#alpine
#lavender flowers
#herbaceous perennial
#mountains
#milky sap
#self-seeding
#acidic soil tolerant
#pollinator plant
#native wildflower
#wildflower garden
#delicate flowers
#rocky soils tolerant
#dry soils tolerant
#bee friendly

Similar Plants

Campanula divaricata Feature Summary

Attributes
West Virginia to Southeastern United States, NC
found primarily in the Appalachian mountains
This species, and other members of the genus Campanula, support the Plasterer Bee (Colletes brevicornis).
Perennial
Flowers
Large, loose cluster of small, pale, blue-violet flowers with a long, protruding style. Droops from horizontal branches. Blooms mid-summer into fall.
Pink
Purple/Lavender
White
Blue
4-5 petals/rays
Cup
Bell
Star
< 1 inch
Leaves
Leaves lanceolate, ovate or oblanceolate, the uppermost linear, sharply serrate, narrowed to the base, 2 to 3 inches long, 1/4 to 1 inch wide or the lowest commonly shorter and broader.
Linear
Oblong
Lanceolate
Oblanceolate
Serrate
Dentate
1-3 inches
< 1 inch
Stem
Slender, multi-branched weak-stemmed plant with many attractive, dangling, small, bell-shaped blue flowers.
Whole Plant Traits
Herbaceous Perennial
Native Plant
Wildflower
Arching
Multi-stemmed
Erect
Cultural Conditions
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Acid (<6.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Occasionally Dry
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Fruit
Green
Cream/Tan
1-3 inches
Landscape
Drought Tolerant Garden
Pollinator Garden
Native Garden
Mass Planting
Woodland
Rock Wall
Butterflies
Pollinators
Songbirds
Bees
Specialized Bees

Campanula divaricata Attributes

Campanula divaricata: Country Or Region Of Origin

West Virginia to Southeastern United States, NC

Campanula divaricata: Distribution

found primarily in the Appalachian mountains

Campanula divaricata: Wildlife Value

This species, and other members of the genus Campanula, support the Plasterer Bee (Colletes brevicornis).

Campanula divaricata: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Campanula divaricata: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Campanula divaricata Flowers

Campanula divaricata: Flower Description

Large, loose cluster of small, pale, blue-violet flowers with a long, protruding style. Droops from horizontal branches. Blooms mid-summer into fall.

Campanula divaricata: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Blue
filter_vintage
Pink
filter_vintage
Purple/Lavender
filter_vintage
White

Campanula divaricata: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Campanula divaricata: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Campanula divaricata: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Campanula divaricata: Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Campanula divaricata: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Campanula divaricata: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Campanula divaricata Leaves

Campanula divaricata: Leaf Description

Leaves lanceolate, ovate or oblanceolate, the uppermost linear, sharply serrate, narrowed to the base, 2 to 3 inches long, 1/4 to 1 inch wide or the lowest commonly shorter and broader.

Campanula divaricata: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Campanula divaricata: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Campanula divaricata: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Campanula divaricata: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Campanula divaricata: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Campanula divaricata: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Campanula divaricata: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Campanula divaricata: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Campanula divaricata: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Campanula divaricata: Leaf Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Campanula divaricata Stem

Campanula divaricata: Stem Description

Slender, multi-branched weak-stemmed plant with many attractive, dangling, small, bell-shaped blue flowers.

Campanula divaricata: Stem Color

grass
Green

Campanula divaricata: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Campanula divaricata Whole Plant Traits

Campanula divaricata: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Campanula divaricata: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Campanula divaricata: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Campanula divaricata Cultural Conditions

Campanula divaricata: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Campanula divaricata: Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Campanula divaricata: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Campanula divaricata: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Campanula divaricata: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Campanula divaricata: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Campanula divaricata: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Campanula divaricata Fruit

Campanula divaricata: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Campanula divaricata: Fruit Color

grass
Cream/Tan
grass
Green

Campanula divaricata: Fruit Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Campanula divaricata Landscape

Campanula divaricata: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Campanula divaricata: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Campanula divaricata: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Campanula divaricata: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Campanula divaricata: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees