PlantPeers
Back to Catalog
No image available
Campanulaceae FAMILY

Campanula lactiflora

Campanula lactiflora

Edibility
3/5
Medicinal
0/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitPerennial
Growth—

Campanula lactiflora is fairly cold hardy, able to withstand winter temperatures down to at least -15°c[1]. Succeeds in most fertile well-drained soils[2], though it prefers a moist but well-drained rich sandy loam and a neutral or alkaline soil in sun or partial shade[3, 1]. Appreciates part day shade when growing in areas with hot summers[4]. A very tolerant plant, thriving even when growing in unkempt grassy areas[2]. There are some named forms, selected for their ornamental value[1]. Plants tend to be top-heavy and will need supports in windy gardens[2]. The species in this genus do not often hybridize and so seed can generally be relied upon to come true[5]. The plants are self-fertile[5]. Although usually freely set, it is quite difficult to harvest the seed since it is readily dispersed by the plant as soon as it ripens[6]. The plant often self-sows in the garden and, if potted up whilst small, the seedlings usually transplant fairly well[6]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits[2].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe, otherwise surface sow spring in a cold frame. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 4 weeks at 18°c. Easy[5]. Plants, especially as they grow, resent root disturbance so, as soon as they are large enough to handle the seedlings should be pricked out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame for at least their first winter. It is generally better to grow the plants on in larger pots than average in order to ensure good root development[6]. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Basal cuttings in spring. Easy[PFAF]. 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. Division in spring or autumn. Very easy[5], larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer or following spring. Another report says that it is difficult to divide the thick tenacious roots of mature plants, and that they resent the disturbance[6]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Campanula+lactiflora>

Pollinators

Data unavailable

References

  1. [1]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · 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.
  2. [2]Perennial Garden Plants — Thomas. G. S. · 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.
  3. [3]RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 — F. Chittendon. · Oxford University Press · 1951 · ISBN - ↩︎Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]).
  4. [4]KemperCentreForHomeGardeningPlantFinder — Missouri Botanical Garden · http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/ ↩︎Basic cultivation details, plant uses, habitat etc for several thousand species of plants, mainly from the temperate zone.
  5. [5]Campanulas - their cultivation and classification. — Crook. H. Clifford. · Country Life · 1951 · ISBN - ↩︎The most comprehensive treatment of the genus yet written (2002).
  6. [6]Campanulas - A Gardener's Guide. — Lewis. P. & Lynch. M. · B. T. Batsford. London. · 1998 · ISBN 0-7134-8266-4 ↩︎Very readable account of almost 150 members of the genus, together with their hybrids and cultivars, that are more commonly grown in gardens. Excellent photographs of many of the species.
  7. [7]Flora of the USSR. — Komarov. V. L. · Israel Program for Scientific Translation · 1968 · http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org · ISBN - ↩︎An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
  8. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎