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Campanula versicolor

Campanula versicolor: Flowers
Photo by Ken Fern. High resolution version

Common name:		Family:	Campanulaceae
Author:	Andrews.	Botanical references:	50, 200
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	Europe - Greece.
Habitat:	Rocky places[50] in the lower wood region[221].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	5	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	versicolor = variously colored
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Campanulales. Bellflower family

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 1.2m by 0.45m . It is hardy to zone 8 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from July to September, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees, flies, beetles and Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies). The plant is self-fertile. We rate it 5/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Cultivated Beds, By Walls, By South Wall, By West Wall.

Edible Uses

Flowers Leaves.

Leaves - raw or cooked[46, 61, 105]. Rich in vitamin C. A delicious mild flavour with a slight sweetness that reminds people of freshly-picked garden peas, they can be added in quantity to salads and are usually available in winter[K]. They are liked by most people who try them[K].
Flowers - raw. Very pleasant with a slight sweetness, they make a tasty and decorative addition to salads[K].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Succeeds in most fertile well-drained soils[233], though it prefers a sunny position in a moist but well-drained rich sandy loam and a neutral or alkaline soil[1, 200]. Strongly resents winter wet[1].
This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to between -5 and -10° c[200]. Plants may require protection in severe winters[1], though they have proved reliable in &ndndndnd[K].
This species provides some of the nicest salad leaves that we have tried to date, it has an excellent potential as an edible ornamental in the garden, though it is not really suitable for commercial cultivation[K]. The plants have a basal rosette in winter and continue to grow slowly in all but the coldest weather, providing edible leaves most winters[K].
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].
A very ornamental plant[1]. It is closely related to C. pyramidalis, but is more reliably perennial[221].
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[138]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer.
Basal cuttings in spring[200]. Once they are a few years old, plants produce a number of rosettes and these can be carefully removed in the spring and used as cuttings[221]. 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.
Root cuttings are said to work[221]. The plant has a thick fleshy root with a number of crowns. Whilst this can be divided if great care is taken not to damage the root, it is not really recommended because the divisions take a long time to become established[221].

Suppliers

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

PFAF Web Pages

This plant is mentioned in the following web pages

Web References

[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]).

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[50] ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964
An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[138] Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 3. Thompson and Morgan. 1989
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation.

[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

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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
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