Content
The broad-leaved bell (Campanula latifolia) or campanula is a tall perennial plant that received its specific name for the shape of the flowers. The genus includes more than 300 species, differing in territorial distribution, color and height. In ornamental gardening, varietal representatives are used, created specifically for landscape design.
Description of broadleaf bell
The main types of broadleaf bellflower grow in the form of a herbaceous shrub, consisting of 4-6 shoots. The culture is tall, the stems reach 100-150 cm. The bush is compact, intensely leafy. The plant is adapted to all types of soils, but full-fledged vegetation is possible only on fertile, light soil with moderate moisture.
The frost resistance of the plant depends on the area of distribution. Views of northern latitudes withstand temperatures down to -300 C, the representatives of the Caucasus or Asia Minor are not adapted to the winter conditions of the Central regions and the Central zone. In ornamental horticulture, selection varieties are used based on the Altai or Himalayan varieties, which calmly tolerate the weather conditions of a temperate climate.
The culture is sun-loving, flowers do not fade in direct sunlight. The plant reacts calmly to a lack of moisture. Damp soils and high air humidity do not meet the biological requirements of the broadleaf bellflower, in such conditions the plant is sick, grows poorly, and forms an insignificant number of buds.
The life cycle of flowers is reduced, they lose their shape, close and droop. The splendor of flowering directly depends on the sufficiency of lighting, soil fertility and compliance with agricultural technology.
What a broadleaf bell looks like
The broadleaf bellflower attracts attention with the splendor of its green mass and long flowering (from June to July). The main color of the flowers in the species is blue, purple or dark blue. Abundant flowering, buds open sequentially.
External characteristics of the broadleaf bell:
- Stems are erect, without lateral branches, light green. The surface is even, the shape is rounded, the top is refined, angular.
- The leaves are located along the entire length of the stem, oblong, wide at the base, pointed at the top, serrated edges. Near the root are larger, fixed on winged petioles, upper ones are smaller, sessile.
- The leaf blade is light green with pronounced veins, densely pubescent in the lower and upper parts.
- The inflorescence at the bell is broad-leaved racemose, formed from the middle of the stem. The flowers are large (up to 3 cm in length), located in the leaf axils on short pedicels. Funnel-shaped, bell-shaped, dissected, curved edges.
- The fruit is a capsule with flat brown seeds.
The broadleaf bellflower is recommended for cultivation in the European part, the Central region, the regions of the Central strip, in the North Caucasus.
Perennial culture after sowing seeds reaches reproductive age in the third year of vegetation.
The bell bush does not grow quickly and not strongly, occupying no more than 50 cm² of area
What is the root system of a broadleaf bell
The root system of the bellflower is a broad-leaved mixed type, the dominant stem is fusiform. On fertile light soil, the central part deepens by 15-20 cm, lateral fibrous roots cover 60 cm of the territory.
A plant with low stress resistance, responds poorly to transplanting, prone to trampling in pastures. If the climatic conditions of the region do not correspond to the species, the culture does not recover after freezing of the root.
Where the broadleaf bell grows
The broadleaf bellflower grows on the edges of mixed and coniferous forests. More often found in meadows, hillsides, in foothill areas. If located near a forest, the root is slightly deepened within 6 cm and forms only one stem, therefore, the main accumulation is in open areas in moderately moist soils.
Depending on the species, the distribution area of the species covers the European part, Altai, alpine meadows near the Caucasus Mountains, the Far East, Eastern Siberia, and part of the Urals.
Why is the broadleaf bell in the Red Book
The culture is classified as an endangered species, the broad-leaved bell flower is listed in the Red Book and is protected by law. Every year the plant population decreases, a number of negative factors affect the extinction of the species:
- economic activities, increasing the areas for grazing. The bell does not recover after mechanical damage to the vegetative buds;
- early mowing. The plant does not have time to enter the fruiting phase;
- in the natural environment, the culture reproduces by self-seeding, the germination capacity of the material is 15%. Young plants are practically not found in the wild. The formed population multiplies as a result of branching and growth of the root system. In the meadows, the culture is trampled by livestock, which leads to its disappearance.
This factor also contributes to the disappearance of the broadleaf bellflower. Wild species enter reproductive age at 5-7 years, many of the specimens do not survive until this time. The culture is characterized by low competitiveness, reacts poorly to soil compaction, so it is replaced by more adapted plants with a creeping root system.
The best varieties
There are quite a few varieties of broadleaf bell in nature. There are few breeding varieties with high frost resistance and undemanding watering. In ornamental gardening, cultivars are used and only 3 varieties can be attributed to popular ones.
Brantwood
The broadleaf Brantwood bell reaches a height of 1.2 m
The bush is dense, formed by 6-10 stems. The inflorescences are lush, the flowers are dark blue with a slight purple tint. Suitable for growing in all regions (except for the Far North).
The flowering period of the Brantwood variety falls at the end of June and lasts until the first days of August.
Alba
The rare white shape of the Alba broadleaf bell is one of the common varieties in design. The plant owes its popularity to the unconventional flower color and high frost resistance. It is a herbaceous compact shrub, the height of which is about 80 cm. The shape of the flowers is bell-shaped, dissected, the corners are sharp, the upper part is like a star. For planting plants of this variety, choose a site with periodic shading.
The flowering period for the Alba variety begins in the first decade of June and lasts until mid-August.
Makranta
The broadleaf variety of Macrantha bells (Macrantha) compares favorably with other breeding varieties in the size of the flower and the density of the inflorescences.
Macrantha flower color is dark purple, bowl is completely open, with clearly identifiable petals
The flowering period is June-July.
Application in design
Garden forms of broadleaf bells are used to create:
- mixborders;
- composite structures on a flower bed;
- for decoration in the style of wild nature;
A tall bell can serve as a background plant for low-growing shrubs, dwarf forms of conifers.
The bell is combined with crops of the same size, with white, pink or yellow flowers. All species that are nearby should have similar placement requirements.
Do not combine broadleaf bell with ornamental plants, blooming blue inflorescences. Neighborhood with aggressive species with a creeping root system is undesirable.
Mass planting based on varieties with different colors is often used to decorate an empty area of a site
How broadleaf bells reproduce
The bell is propagated in a generative way. In the fall, they collect seeds, make a garden bed and sow them in the ground in October. For the winter, the site is covered with a film, and it is insulated with spruce branches on top. In the spring the seeds will sprout, they dive and in the fall they are planted in the designated place. Garden varieties are divided once every 5 years, receiving additional planting material.
Landing algorithm
The site for planting a broadleaf bell is set aside sunny or with periodic shading.
In constant shade and high humidity, the bell will not grow, so there is a risk of crop death. The soil is chosen in a dry area so that there is no stagnation of moisture. The soil should be neutral or slightly alkaline, always light and fertile.
The division of the bush is carried out in May or at the end of August (after flowering). Seedlings after sowing for the winter are planted at the same time.
The bell is dug up and the root is divided so that each section consists of a central rod and several lateral root filaments
5 days before planting, the seedlings are watered with a weak solution of manganese, before being placed in the ground, they are treated with a drug that stimulates growth. The plot is prepared on the day of planting, it is dug up together with compost, and boiled water is poured over it.
Algorithm for planting operations:
- The hole is made 40 cm deep, 30 cm wide (for seedlings) and 10 cm wider than the root - when dividing the bush.
- Peat, turf soil and sand are mixed, superphosphate and potassium are added.
- The bottom of the recess is covered with a drainage layer and covered with a part of the substrate.
- The bell is placed in the center and the pit is filled with the remaining soil mixture.
The earth is compacted, the plot is watered with water with the addition of nitrogen fertilizer. For seedlings, this measure is not required. They cover the top with mulch, the bell does not tolerate even a slight compaction of the upper layer of the soil.
Follow-up care
Agrotechnics consists in carrying out the following activities:
- In the dry season, water the plant 2 times a week in the evening. With a normal rainfall, additional watering is not required.
- The varieties are tall, if the bush does not hold its shape well, the bell is tied up.
- Mulch immediately after planting with peat, sawdust or wood chips.
- Loosens the soil at the first sign of compaction.
- Top dressing begins from the second year of the growing season. The first procedure is carried out in the last decade of May with nitrophosphate, during flowering, "Agricola for flowering plants" is introduced, when the flowering cycle is over, fed with superphosphate and potassium.
Preparing for winter
The aboveground mass dies off and dries up by autumn, it is cut off completely. They loosen the soil around the bush, sprinkle it slightly, sprinkle it with ash to deoxidize the soil, spread compost and cover it with a layer of mulch. If the winter is cold and little snow covered with spruce branches.
Diseases and pests
On the broadleaf bell, diseases are noted:
- rot of the root collar and roots;
- powdery mildew;
- rust.
In the fall after flowering, the plant is treated with copper sulfate, in the spring with "Topaz".
Parasitizes the plant:
- aphid;
- slobber;
- slugs.
To get rid of pests, flowers are sprayed with Iskra, and Metaldehyde is laid out near the bush.
Conclusion
Broadleaf bellflower is a field perennial plant with a mixed type of root system. Grows in dense groups, has the shape of a herbaceous bush. The bell is considered an endangered species, so the culture is protected by the law. The design uses garden forms with purple and white flowers. The breeding varieties are frost-resistant, so they can be grown in any climatic zone.
