Menu list goes here

Herbal Database Search Results

Back to: Pathways Main Search Page For Metaphysical uses visit The Witchs Haven

Campanula punctata

Common name:	Chinese Rampion	Family:	Campanulaceae
Author:	Lam.	Botanical references:	58, 200, 275
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	E. Asia - Japan, Siberia.
Habitat:	Grassy slopes in lowland and low mountains all over Japan[58]. Waste places such as roadsides and stony slopes on hills from the lowlands to elevations of 1700 metres[275].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	4	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Spotted Bellflower [P,B],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	punctata = spotted
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Campanulales. Bellflower family

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 0.35m by 0.75m . It is hardy to zone 6. It is in flower in July, and the seeds ripen in August. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). The plant is self-fertile. We rate it 4/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Cultivated Beds.

Edible Uses

Flowers Leaves.

The flowers and leaves are used as potherbs[177, 179, 183]. The leaves are slightly hairy but they have a very pleasant taste raw, with a pleasant sweetness[K]. They have been enjoyed by almost everyone we have given them to try and make a very acceptable salad[K].
The flowers make a decorative and tasty addition to the salad bowl[K].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Succeeds in most fertile well-drained soils[233], though it prefers a moist but well-drained rich sandy loam and a neutral or alkaline soil in sun or partial shade[1, 200]. Plants are hardy in most parts of Britain but are best grown in pots in a cold greenhouse[1]. Another report says that it is very well suited to the ornamental garden[200]. This species has proved to be difficult of cultivation in many gardens, though it spreads freely in others[221] and can become invasive[233]. It probably requires a very light soil, and is more inclined to die out when growing in clay[221, 271]. Where successful, the plants usually produce an abundance of seed and sometimes self-sow[221, 271].
Closely related to C. takesimana[271].
The species in this genus do not often hybridize and so seed can generally be relied upon to come true[221]. The plants are self-fertile[221].
There are several named forms selected for their ornamental value[200].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[233].

Propagation

Seed - surface sow spring in a cold frame. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 4 weeks at 18° c. Easy[221]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Basal cuttings in spring. Harvest the shoots when they are about 10 - 15cm long with plenty of underground stem. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer.
Division in spring or autumn. Very easy[221], larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer or following spring.

Cultivars

'': No entries have been made for this species as yet.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[58] Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965
The standard work. Brilliant, but not for the casual reader.

[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.

[179] Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977
A translation of an ancient Chinese book on edible wild foods. Fascinating.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[221] Crook. H. Clifford. Campanulas Country Life 1951
A comprehensive treatment of the genus.

[233] Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.

Readers Comments

Back to: Pathways Home page, Main Search Page Help Bibliography

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963

This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Campanula+punctata
This page (US) http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Campanula+punctata

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
(You can copy, distribute, display this works but: Attribution is required, its for Non-Commercial purposes, and it's Share Alike (GNUish/copyleft) i.e. has an identical license.)
We also ask that you let us know (michael@thewitchshaven.com) if you link to, redistribute, make a derived work or do anything groovy with this information.

Pathways Home :: View Cart :: Shipping & Returns :: Contact Us :: Privacy Policy :: Philosophy :: The Witchs Haven

We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.