Campanulaceae : Campanula rotundifolia
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Family Name
Campanulaceae
Common Name
Harebell
Native American Name
Lakota: waȟpé tȟó
Description
Campanula rotundifolia is a perennial, somewhat delicate herb from slender caudex branches, often forming clumps. The stems are ascending to erect, simple or with short branches near the top, 15-70 cm in height and lacking hairs. The basal leaves have long petioles (1-7 cm long), the blades are 1-3 cm long and 0.5-2 cm wide, ovate to orbicular, the margins with small teeth, but are generally withered before flowering. The cauline leaves becoming linear and sessile above, 1–7 cm long and 1-6 mm wide. The Inflorescence is a terminal, few-flowered raceme with nodding flowers. The 5 sepals are narrowly lanceolate, 3–12 mm long, erect and the 5 blue petals are fused, 10–25 mm long, campanulate, with the 3-lobed style about as long as the corolla. The fruit is a top-shaped capsule, nodding, 3–10 mm long and 3-6 mm in diameter. The seeds are brown, shiny and ~1 mm long. Harebells bloom from June through August in dry woods, meadows and along streambanks in western South Dakota.
Horticulture Notes
Seed Collection: Collect seeds from July through September, when capsules begin to split and the seeds are dark colored.
Germination: Late fall sowing or a 30-day cold moist treatment before spring planting. Seeds need light to germinate so plant very shallowly.
Soils: Sandy well drained soil.
Light: Full sun to shade’
Water: Dry to mesic.
Additional Notes
Harebell is a delicate and beautiful flower with blue bell-shaped flowers nodding from the tips of their slender stems. The attract hummingbirds and native bees and grow well in rocky soils and crevices. They are often self-seeding and do well in rock gardens, retaining walls and openings under trees.