Azorina vidalii aka Azores Bellflower

Azorina vidalii, or Azores bellflower, belongs to the bellflower family, Campanulaceae. Its native range lies within the Azores, where it grows on sea cliffs. It also bears the older name Campanula vidalii. Gardeners grow this shrub for its leaves and late flowers. People also gather its edible leaves from wild plants.

This upright shrub has a partly succulent form. The RHS gives a garden height of 1.6–3.3 feet [0.5–1 metre]. Its spread reaches about 0.3–1.6 feet [0.1–0.5 metres]. Useful Tropical Plants describes smaller plants, around 1 foot [0.3 metres] tall. The sources differ on whether it keeps its leaves. The RHS calls it deciduous; Useful Tropical Plants calls it evergreen. Its green leaves have a glossy surface and a rubbery feel. Plants reach their full size in two to five years.

Large, waxy flowers shaped like bells appear in late summer. Their colours range from white to pink. Useful Tropical Plants notes that greenhouse flowers tend to stay white. Flowers on outdoor plants tend to turn pink. Insects pollinate the blooms. The flowers make it useful in beds and borders. The RHS also lists courtyard gardens and borders beside walls. It can grow as a houseplant or under greenhouse glass.

Give it full sun and moist soil that drains freely. Loam and sand suit it, across acid, neutral, and alkaline soils. Choose a sheltered spot facing south or west for outdoor plants. In cooler climates, use a greenhouse or conservatory to avoid frost. The RHS rates it H2, meaning it cannot survive freezing. PFAF lists USDA zones 8–11, but the frost warning remains important. Wet soil and damp air can cause rot. Useful Tropical Plants also describes it as short-lived. The RHS reports few pest problems, though cucumber mosaic virus can occur. It needs no routine pruning.

Sow seed under glass in spring; shoots emerge within two to four weeks. Keep young plants under glass through their first winter. Move them outdoors only once frost risk has passed. The raw leaves taste sweet and can serve as salad greens. Yields are small, so this is not a heavy-cropping food plant. Pick single side leaves rather than the growing tip. Removing that tip can cause the shoot to die. PFAF and Useful Tropical Plants report no known hazards. Neither source lists a medicinal use.