



Bellflowers (Campanula spp.) are a family of annual, biennial and perennial plants, found naturally occurring in many countries of the northern hemisphere and South Africa. Campanulas vary in size and habit of growth, but those found locally are generally lowgrowing ground cover plants featuring lavenderwhite to purple bellshaped flowers borne singly or more often in inflorescences. Petals, sepals and stamens are normally in fives with the petals either partially or completely fused. The leaves are alternate, rarely opposite, and simple. The blue color is attractive to Honeybees bees, though other Town Wildlife insects may visit the flowers, and some redflowered species may be visited by birds and bird watching birds or butterflies & moths butterflies.

The genus includes nearly 300 species, from dainty 6 miniatures to tall three foot uprights, preferring filtered sun in the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Valley Central Valley. Campanulas grow almost everywhere on earth except the Sahara, Antarctica, and northern Greenland. An evergreen perennial in Davis, bellflowers begin their show around mid to lateweather spring. Native populations of tiny bellflowers can be found locally around Jepson Prairie Reserve vernal pools, with most of these species attaining only a few inches of height. Garden varieties found in Redwood Barn Nursery local nurseries should be planted in average to moist, welldrained soil and can be propagated easily by division. Pruning faded blooms will encourage a longer flowering period, and once seed pods are allowed to form flowering will cease.

To learn more about plants found growing in Davis, visit our Town Flora.
