Images: ©Jouko Lehmuskallio
Peach-leaved Bellflower
Campanula persicifolia
- Family: Bellflower Family – Campanulaceae
- Growing form: Perennial herb. Rootstock short, horizontal.
- Height: 30–100 cm (12–40 in.). Stem erect, unbranched, glabrous.
- Flower: Bell-shaped, 20–40 × 30–50 mm (0.8–1.6 × 1.2–2 in.). Petals 5, united, blue (rarely white). Sepals 5, united. Stamens 5. Pistil of 3 fused carpels. Inflorescence a 2–20-flowered raceme, rarely flower solitary.
- Leaves: Alternate. Basal leaves and lowermost stem leaves almost stalkless, blade oblanceolate. Upper stem leaves stalkless, almost linear. Margins of all leaves shallowly toothed.
- Fruit: An erect capsule dehiscing apically.
- Habitat: Damp and rich forests, meadows, slopes, waysides, rock outcrops in broadleaf woods.
- Flowering time: June–August.
The peach-leaved bellflower is a hairless, erect and tall, handsome perennial. It has been grown as an ornamental at least since the 17th century. Natively it occurs on grassy slopes and in broadleaf woods. It is favoured by human disturbance.
The peach-leaved bellflower resembles the harebell (C. rotundifolia). The latter is clearly smaller and its three stigmatic lobes are only about 3 mm long, whereas those of the peach-leaved bellflower are ca. 10 mm. Furthermore, the plants have dissimilar basal leaves. Those of the peach-leaved bellflower have an oblanceolate blade, whereas those of the harebell have cordate to kidney-shaped blades. The peach-leaved bellflower is a regionally endangered species.
