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The bellflower is a fairly rare ornamental plant in nature. At the same time, numerous cultivars are available to everyone, it is interesting to study their features and requirements.
Description of the dot bell
Dotted bell (lat. Campanula punctate) is a herbaceous perennial plant from the genus of the same name. The straight, cylindrical stem is slightly pubescent, branching in the upper part. The leaves are ovate and pointed, hairy, on reddish petioles, paler below and bright green above.
In height, a perennial in nature grows up to 50 cm, decorative varieties can reach 70 cm. The bushes are quite sprawling, they can grow up to half a meter or more in width. The plant develops quite quickly, it can produce numerous lateral underground shoots and go beyond the allotted area.
The dotted bell rises only half a meter, but can grow very widely
Flowering begins in July and can last until the end of summer. The buds are large, up to 5 cm, drooping on long pedicels, slightly pubescent. On one wild perennial, there can be up to 10 flowers. Cultivars produce up to 30 buds per shrub. In shape, the dotted bells are goblet-shaped, elongated, slightly swollen in the middle part, with the edges of the petals curving outward. The color can be white, blue, purple, pink and ink, depending on the particular variety. In August-September, the flowers are replaced by fruit boxes with seeds.
The buds of the dotted bell have an extension in the middle
A moderately winter-hardy plant is able to tolerate temperatures up to -23-30 °C. Prefers sunny areas, although shade is also well tolerated. The splendor of flowering is determined precisely by the amount of light; in open places, the bell blooms more abundantly. The level of soil moisture affects the decorativeness of the culture, the perennial develops poorly on swampy soil.
Under natural conditions, the dotted bell grows mainly in the Far East in Our Country, as well as in Japan, Korea and northeast China. You can see it in larch and oak forests, in birch forests and on the banks of rivers. It is recommended to grow cultivars in the middle lane, in the Urals and in Western Siberia. In colder regions, the plant can also develop successfully, but it will require careful shelter.
Top Grades
Decorative varieties of the dotted bell are distinguished by abundant flowering and a variety of colors. You can select the most popular and favorite varieties of gardeners.
Pink Red
The beautiful Pink Red bell rises up to 50 cm above the ground and blooms from June to August. The buds of the variety are dull pink in color, bright purple dots are visible in the core. In shape, the flowers are goblet, drooping, collected in inflorescences-panicles.
Bluebell buds Pink Red reach 7 cm in length
Garland
Dotted bell Garland from the company Plasmas is a medium-sized perennial up to 40 cm in height. During the decorative period from June to August, the buds densely wrap around the bush from all sides, hence the name. The flowers are white-pink in color, rather large – about 8 cm wide.
Garland prefers to grow in moderately shady places with good moisture.
Silver Bells
Bell Silver Bells – a variety with a height of about 40 cm. The buds bring large, goblet in shape, a delicate milky pink hue with purple dots. The decorative period begins in June and continues until the end of summer.
Silver Bells has developed roots and grows very well.
Alba Nana
The dotted bell Alba Nana is a miniature variety growing to only 20 cm. From June to August it bears creamy white flowers with pink dots arranged in wide bands. Not only the buds of the plant look beautiful, but also the red long petioles and light green leaves.
Alba Nana – one of the most compact varieties of dotted bell
Ash Sensation
Purple Sensation is a medium-sized variety about 50 cm tall. The leaves of the perennial are dark green, glossy, the buds are purple in color, of a standard goblet shape. The plant blooms in June and can remain decorative until August.
Ash Sensation can be planted in the sun, the flowers are not subject to fading
Cherry Belz
Another beautiful variety with dark coloration is Cherry Bells. In June and July, it produces large cherry-red flowers with a decorative white border. In height, the bush rises to 60 cm, prefers lighted and semi-shady areas.
Cherry Belz is best planted in the southern regions, it winters comfortably at temperatures as low as -23 ° C
Pantaloons
Bell Pantaloons is a beautiful variety with semi-double large flowers of a purple-pink hue. It begins to bloom in July and remains decorative until August, it rises by 60 cm in height, but at the same time it can spread up to 90 cm.
The peculiarity of the Pantaloons bell is the expansion in the upper part of the glass buds
Dionysus
Dionys bell is a low perennial plant about 30-50 cm tall. In June and until the end of summer it brings large wine-colored buds up to 7 cm, blooms very abundantly, the greenery is almost hidden under the flowers.
The dotted bell Dionysus feels good in the sun, but can also develop in the shade.
Hot Lips
The short variety Hot Lips rises an average of 30-50 cm. It blooms in June and July, produces pale purple goblet buds, light on the outside and darker on the inside.
Hot Lips flowers are densely strewn with brownish “sprays”
Sarastro
The dotted bell Sarastro reaches up to 60 cm above the ground and blooms from June to July. The buds of the variety are blue, goblet-shaped, with a noticeable expansion in the middle part. It grows best in shady places on fertile soils.
The flowering of Sarastro can be slightly extended if wilted buds are cut in time.
Application in design
A perennial plant is quite widely used in landscape design. It can be planted:
- in shady places of the site;
The dotted bell grows well in moderate light
- as a tapeworm;
An overgrown dotted bell looks spectacular in free space
- in flowering flower beds next to other plants;
The bell is combined with most undersized and medium-sized perennials
- as part of alpine slides and rockeries.
A low dotted bell enlivens the austere rocky landscape
Roses, phloxes, sage, leefflower, lilies, lupins and other garden flowers will become successful neighbors. An unpretentious perennial that meets the requirements of most plants.
Methods of reproduction
Basically, 2 methods are used to propagate the dotted bell:
- seminal;
- division of the bush.
Most often, the dotted bell is propagated by seeds.
Growing seeds is the most popular, the material sprouts easily and quickly. Division is used for adult perennials every 3-4 years, it is with such a frequency that the plant is recommended to be transferred to a new place.
Planting and caring for a dotted bell
It is not difficult to plant a bell sprouted from seeds or an adult delenka in the ground in the garden. The main attention should be paid to the choice of location and soil preparation.
Recommended dates
Dotted bell must be planted in the warm period. Sprouted seedlings are usually transferred to the soil at the end of May, after the return frosts. Delenki are rooted both in late spring and in autumn after the leaves wither.
Site selection and soil preparation
It is best to plant a dotted bell in a lighted place or in a slight shade. The soil should be moderately moist, the perennial can grow even near water bodies, but it is important to ensure that the site is not swampy. The culture is growing rapidly, so you need to take care in advance that there is enough free space around.
You need to plant a dotted bell freely, it will grow in breadth
The soil is required loose, with a pH level close to neutral. If the soil is too dense and acidic, it needs to be dug up and peat, humus and sand added to improve aeration and nutrition.
Landing algorithm
A few days before transferring the dotted bell to the ground, a shallow hole is dug for it, it should be 2 times the size of the roots. A small layer of drainage is poured to the bottom – sand, broken brick or crushed stone. Then the hole is filled to the middle with a soil mixture of sand, turf, peat and humus and complex minerals are added – phosphorus and potassium with a small amount of nitrogen:
- Immediately before planting, the selected dotted bell is carefully examined and made sure that its roots are healthy and strong.
- For a couple of hours, the delenka or seedling can be soaked in water.
- Then the plant is transferred to the prepared recess, trying not to crush the underground part, and covered with soil to the end.
After planting, the earth is lightly tamped, watered well and sprinkled with sand in a circle.
Watering and fertilizing schedule
In spring and throughout autumn, the dotted bell has enough moisture from natural precipitation. It is advised to water it only in the middle of summer in dry weather, during the period when it spends all its strength on flowering.
It is necessary to feed the dotted bell in the spring after the snow melts; to build up the green mass, it will need nitrogen fertilizers. When forming buds, phosphorus and potassium can be added to the soil, and in October, the culture can be abandoned with peat or humus before wintering.
Loosening and weeding
The dotted bell often suffers from dense soil and weeds. Therefore, once a month, the soil is gently loosened. In the process, the rake should not be heavily immersed in the ground, as damage to the roots of the perennial can be caused. Loosening and weeding improve the flowering of the crop and also prevent the development of fungi and pest larvae.
Trimming
Dotted bell is a plant prone to rapid and abundant growth. During the warm season, it is necessary to remove side shoots in time, otherwise the perennial can capture the entire allotted area and go beyond it.
During flowering, you need to periodically remove dry buds, leaving only fresh ones.
Also during the summer it is customary to cut dried buds on the stems. This helps maintain the decorative perennial and also stimulates the development of new flowers. With the timely removal of withered parts, the plant remains beautiful much longer.
Preparation for winter
The flowering of the dotted bell ends in September, and by mid-October it completely sheds its leaves. At this point, above-ground shoots must be cut flush with the ground, new stems will grow next year.
Before the onset of cold weather, the bell is covered with a dense layer of humus or compost about 10 cm, organic fertilizer increases the frost resistance of the crop and insulates the roots. From above, you can put fallen leaves or dry branches, they will serve as additional shelter.
Transfer
Once every 4-5 years, the perennial is advised to replant. To do this, the bush is divided with a sharpened shovel, making sure that healthy roots and strong shoots remain on each part. Planting is carried out according to the standard algorithm at the end of spring, when the soil warms up, or in September, long before the first cold weather.
Diseases and pests
The dotted bell has strong immunity, but can suffer from fungi in rainy weather with a lack of sun. Most often he is struck by:
- neck and root rot;
Bell rot develops against the background of waterlogging
- rust;
Orange rust growths are clearly visible on the green of the bluebell
If spots or traces of rot appear on the leaves and stems of the plant, you should immediately treat the bushes with fungicides – Fitosporin-M, Baktofit, Fundazol. Spraying is carried out 3 times at intervals of 2 weeks.
Of the pests for the dotted bell, the most dangerous are:
- drooling pennitsa;
The pennitsa feeds on the leaves of the dotted bell and interferes with its development.
- slugs.
Slugs can eat the dotted bell in rainy summer
Against pests with a small lesion, homemade garlic and pepper decoctions help well. In advanced cases, you can use Aktara or Karbofos. To scare away slugs in a flower bed with bells, it is advised to scatter straw, mollusks avoid rough and prickly surfaces.
Conclusion
The dotted bell is not often found in nature, but is represented by many ornamental varieties. It is easy to grow it on the site if you choose the right place and do not overmoisten the perennial.
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