Campanula bononiensis aka Pale Bellflower

Campanula bononiensis grows upright and lives for more than one year. It belongs to Campanulaceae, the bellflower family. Its common name is European bellflower. Kew gives its native range in two parts. One runs from southern Crimea to southern European Russia. The other runs from eastern Türkiye to Iran. Missouri Botanical Garden gives a wider range: Europe into central Asia. The plant is not native to Britain or Ireland. Plants that escaped gardens now grow in a few Maine sites.

Plants reach about 2–3 feet [0.61–0.91 metres] tall. The RHS gives a height near 3.3 feet [1 metre]. Their spread is about 1.5 feet [0.46 metres]. At the base, stalked, grey-green leaves form a rosette. This is a ring of leaves near the ground. These leaves are oval to heart-shaped and have toothed edges. Fine hairs cover the lower face of each leaf. Smaller leaves grow on the flower stems and lack stalks. Leaves grow narrower toward the top of each stem. The plant sheds its leaves for winter.

Flowers open from July through September. Their shades range from pale lilac to light purple. Loose groups of blooms grow at the stem tips. The flowers hang out and down. Each bell-shaped bloom reaches about 0.06 feet [0.019 metres] long. Tall flower stems suit borders and cottage gardens. Plants work well in groups or larger drifts. Woods with light shade give them room to spread and settle. The RHS also lists wildflower meadows and wildlife gardens. Banks and slopes are other sites it lists.

Grow this plant in sun or part shade. Give it soil that drains well. Keep moisture steady but at a moderate level. Sandy loam is best, but poor, stony ground also suits it. The RHS lists chalk, loam and sand as suitable soils. It also lists acid, neutral and alkaline soils. Once plants take root, they cope with dry spells. Even moisture helps them grow better. Cool summers suit them more than strong heat. In hotter summer climates, shade after noon helps. Missouri Botanical Garden lists USDA zones 3–6. It notes that plants do poorly farther south. The RHS rates the plant H7. Shield plants from too much wet in winter.

The plant needs little care and no routine pruning. Cut off spent blooms to help more flowers form. Grow new plants from seed, cuttings or divisions. The RHS says plants take two to five years to mature. Missouri Botanical Garden says serious pest and disease problems are rare. Still, aphids, slugs and snails may attack plants. The RHS also warns of powdery mildew and rust.