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Portenschlag bluebell is a low-growing crop that has been growing on the same site for more than six years. The bush form with creeping stems and abundant long flowering is used as a ground cover, ampel or border plant. Varieties are used in landscape design and ornamental gardening.
Description of Portenschlag Bell
Portenschlag bell (Campanula Portenschlagiana) is a perennial herbaceous crop with a limited habitat (endemic). In its natural habitat it is found only in the northern part of the Balkan Peninsula, the main accumulation is observed in mountainous areas, between rocks. The Portenschlag bell was first described by Carl Linnaeus in the XNUMXth century and named after the Austrian botanist Franz von Portenschlag-Ledermeier. As a design element, the plant began to be grown in Europe, from there it came to Our Country.
Description of the Portenschlag bell (pictured):
Evergreen rocky plant with a maximum height of 20 cm. Numerous stems of a creeping or elevated type create continuous thickets 50-60 cm wide. The structure is rigid, the surface in the lower part is bare, smooth, closer to the top there is a small sparse edge. The color of the bell stems Portenschlag is light purple or green with a yellow tint.
Leaves are arranged alternately. The color of the upper part of the plate is bright green, the lower part is pale, whitish. The shape is rounded, heart-shaped, with jagged edges, pubescence of the central vein is possible. In the lower part of the stem, on a petiole 12 cm long, there are plates with a diameter of 2,5-3 cm, which gradually decrease in size towards the top.
Inflorescences at the Portenschlag bell are formed on short peduncles in the crown of the stems.
Funnel-shaped flowers, up to 30 mm in diameter, cup length – 8-10 mm, divided into 5 lanceolate petals of purple and bright blue. The culture is self-pollinating. The stamens are beige, located on long white threads, the pistil with a yellow stigma, lilac.
The root system is superficial, well grown.
Until the end of August, there may be single flowers on the culture.
The plant is photophilous, therefore, in the shade, the decorative effect is reduced due to weak budding. Blooms profusely only on fertile soil, reacts poorly to high soil and air humidity.
Portenschlag bell is characterized by intense shoot formation, inflorescences form on young and old stems for the second season, due to this feature, flowering is abundant, and the surface of the bush is completely painted blue.
The culture is stress-resistant, calmly reacts to the instability of spring weather. In winter, without shelter, it tolerates a drop in temperature to -27 0C. The plant is grown in the gardens of the Moscow region, throughout the Central, Middle, European strip. In the climatic conditions of Siberia and the Urals, it is recommended to cover the Portenschlag bell for the winter.
Optimal conditions for vegetation are noted in the regions of the North Caucasus
Top Grades
In ornamental gardening, frost-resistant perennial varieties of Portenschlag bluebell are used. A description of the popular and most popular varieties will help you choose a crop for planting in any region of Our Country.
Clockwise
Portenschlag’s bell Clockwise is a stunted variety. The stems do not grow more than 40 cm. The culture is used in design as a groundcover. Vegetation near the bell of Portenschlag Cloquise is fast; in the second year after planting, the plant covers up to 70 cm of territory with a continuous carpet. The evergreen perennial retains its decorative appearance throughout the year, the foliage darkens slightly by autumn, but does not fall off. In the spring, as shoots and new leaves form, last year’s ones gradually die off, and the crown is completely renewed before flowering.
The color of the flowers in the sunny area is bright purple, in the shade it is light blue and flowering is not very plentiful. The variety grows well in any soil. This is one of the frost-resistant representatives. The bell of Portenschlag Klokviz is suitable for growing at home as an ampelous culture, for decorating verandas, balconies, and apartment interiors.
Portenschlag bell is recommended for cultivation in open ground without sheltering the crown for the winter only in the fourth climatic zone
Blue gnome
The culture got its varietal name because of its low growth. The dwarf variety of the Portenschlag blue gnome bell grows up to 15-20 cm. The crown is dense, cushion-shaped, with intensive stem formation and abundant flowering. The leaves are lanceolate, elongated, narrow, dark green. The Blue Dwarf variety is used to decorate alpine slides and a rock garden. The culture blooms from July to August with small bright blue flowers.
Grown in flower pots and in an open area, in the latter case, the plant needs shelter for the winter
Application in design
Portenschlag bell is used in any mixed or group plantings. Used as a ground cover, varieties with brightly colored flowers are ideally combined: with undersized conifers, with dwarf ornamental and flowering species that do not exceed them in height.
The Portenschlag bell is a light-loving plant that cannot be planted in the shade of large-sized plants and next to crops growing on alkaline soil. It is not recommended to combine next to junipers, as they become a frequent cause of rust on the leaves of the bell.
Portenschlag bell application in design:
- Line landing near the building.
Creation of a narrow ridge on an empty space near the wall of the building and the path
- Decoration of rock gardens and rockeries.
Portenschlag’s bell is a rock plant that blends seamlessly with natural stone
- Growing in pots for indoor and outdoor design.
- Creation of mixborders with flowering crops.
- Color accent of the inside of the round flower bed.
The conifer planted in the center gives the design reception a complete look and harmoniously combines with blue bell flowers
Methods of reproduction
Portenschlag bell is propagated vegetatively. In spring, cuttings are cut from the bottom of annual shoots. They are placed in a container, and the next season they are planted in the ground. This method of reproduction is the most popular because of its productivity, the material takes root well, and then takes root on the site.
The plant can be propagated by division. Bushes aged at least 5 years are suitable for this purpose. Varieties provide high-grade material suitable for generative propagation.
In February, the seeds are sown for seedlings, after the formation of the first leaves they dive, they are planted at the beginning of the season.
Planting and caring for the Portenschlag bell
The culture can grow on poor soils, but loses its decorative effect, gives a slight increase and blooms defectively. The culture requires aerated soil with minimal moisture and a neutral reaction. Further care of the Portenschlag bell will be much easier if you follow the biological needs of the plant.
Recommended dates
You can carry out planting work at the beginning of the season, when the temperature does not drop below +10 0C. For each climatic zone, the time will be different, in the central zone – this is the beginning of May. Autumn planting in Siberia is not practiced, because a fragile plant will not overwinter. In other regions, the time is calculated so that 1,5 months remain until frost.
Site selection and soil preparation
The place under the Portenschlag bell is allocated in an open area, periodic shading is allowed, but with the condition that the daylight hours will be at least nine hours. Near tall crops that create a shadow, the bell is not cultivated.
Before determining the Portenschlag bell to the site, they dig up the allotted place, remove the weed grass along with the root and water the soil with a hot solution of manganese.
Landing algorithm
The root of the seedling must be freed from the earthy coma and dipped in a drug that stimulates growth
Then let stand in an antifungal agent.
Landing is carried out according to the following technology:
- Make a mixture for food from soddy soil and compost, add sand.
- The hole is dug according to the size of the root, so that the upper vegetative buds are deepened by no more than 1,5 cm.
- Pour part of the prepared substrate into the hole, put a bell, and fill it with the remaining mixture.
- Seal and water.
The plant is mulched, peat is not used as a material, since it increases acidity.
Watering and fertilizing schedule
Portenschlag bell has enough seasonal rainfall. If the summer is dry, water the plant under the root. The frequency is determined by the state of the topsoil, it should dry well. The plant does not respond well to high humidity, so sprinkling is not used.
Top dressing is a prerequisite for caring for the Portenschlag bell. At the beginning of tillering, they are fed with nitrophoska or any nitrogen-containing agent. When the bulk of the buds begin to bloom, potassium sulfate is added. After flowering, fertilize with superphosphate. In July, you can add liquid organics.
Loosening and weeding
If the root circle of the Portenschlag bell is covered with mulch, loosening is not relevant, the material does not allow a crust to form. Yes, and holding an event for a low-growing culture with creeping stems is problematic.
In the absence of mulch, loosen the soil as needed. Removal of weeds is mandatory, in frequent cases they become the cause of the spread of pests on the Portenschlag bell.
Trimming
The trimming for the Portenschlag bell is sanitary in nature. In the spring, shoots frozen over the winter are removed. Remove dry stems. If, after the formation of new foliage, the old one has not fallen, it is cut off. After flowering, cut off the inflorescences. Crown formation for this species is not carried out.
Preparation for winter
Preparatory work begins at the moment when the temperature approaches zero. By this time, the inflorescences will be removed, the stems of dwarf varieties are not cut for the winter.
Preparing for the winter of the Portenschlag bell is to follow these recommendations:
- Remove the old layer of mulch.
- Lay compost under the bush.
- Abundantly watered.
- Cover the root with straw or wood shavings, you can use dry leaves.
If severe frosts are observed in the region, the crown is covered with any material and covered with snow.
Diseases and pests
The main infections that appear on Portenschlag’s bell are:
- rust;
- powdery mildew;
- collar or root rot.
To prevent infections in the spring, Portenschlag’s bell is treated against the fungus. To prevent root rotting, watering is adjusted and sprayed with copper sulphate at the beginning of the growing season and after flowering. If the development of a fungal disease is noticed, Topaz is used.
The tool can be used as a preventive measure at the beginning of the season and before the buds open.
Of the pests on Portenschlag’s bell, aphids parasitize, slobbering pennitsa. They are disposed of by the Spark.
Make a solution according to the instructions, consumption – 1 l / 1 m2
In wet weather, slugs may appear on the Portenschlag bell. Metaldehyde is effective from them.
At the end of May, the granules are scattered near all the bells and nearby plants.
Conclusion
Bell Portenschlag is a low-growing culture with creeping stems. The plant is frost-resistant, evergreen, with abundant long flowering. Varieties are often used to decorate rockeries, rock gardens, compositions from conifers and natural stone. The rock plant winters well and grows rapidly.
