Campanula is one of several genera of flowering plants in the family Campanulaceae commonly known as bellflowers. They take both their common and scientific names from the bell-shaped flowers — campanula is Latin for "little bell".
The family Campanulaceae, of the order Asterales, contains nearly 2400 species in 84 genera of herbaceous plants, shrubs, and rarely small trees, often with milky sap. Among them are several familiar garden plants belonging to the genera Campanula (bellflower), Lobelia, and Platycodon (balloonflower). Campanula rapunculus and Codonopsis lanceolata are eaten as vegetables. Lobelia inflata, L. siphilitica and L. tupa and others have been used as medicinal plants. Campanula rapunculoides may be a troublesome weed, particularly in gardens, while Legousia spp. may occur in arable fields.
Platycodon grandiflorus is a species of herbaceous flowering perennial plant of the family Campanulaceae, and the only member of the genus Platycodon. It is native to East Asia. It is commonly known as balloon flower, Chinese bellflower, or platycodon.
Campanula carpatica, the tussock bellflower or Carpathian harebell, is a species of flowering plant in the family Campanulaceae, native to the Carpathian Mountains of Central Europe. It is a low-growing herbaceous perennial, with long stems bearing solitary blue bell-shaped flowers. It was introduced to the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew in 1774 by Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin. Several cultivars in shades of white, blue, pink and purple, have been developed for garden use.
Lavandula angustifolia, formerly L. officinalis, is a flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to the Mediterranean. Its common names include lavender, true lavender or English lavender ; also garden lavender, common lavender, and narrow-leaved lavender.
Campanula glomerata, known by the common names clustered bellflower or Dane's blood, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Campanula, belonging to the family Campanulaceae. It is the county flower of Rutland, England.
Phlox subulata the creeping phlox, moss phlox, moss pink or mountain phlox, is a species of flowering plant in the family Polemoniaceae, native to eastern and central USA, and widely cultivated. Growing to about 13 cm (5 in) high at most and covering a 50 cm (20 in) wide area, it is an evergreen perennial forming mats or cushions of hairy, linear leaves. The small, five-petaled flowers bloom in rose, mauve, blue, white, or pink in late spring to early summer.
Campanula rapunculoides, known by the common names creeping bellflower, or rampion bellflower, is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Campanula, belonging to the family Campanulaceae. In some parts of North America, it is an extremely invasive species.
Campanula persicifolia, the peach-leaved bellflower, is a flowering plant species in the family Campanulaceae. It is an herbaceous perennial growing to 1 m. Its flowers are cup-shaped and can be either lilac-blue or white. Its foliage is narrow and glossy with a bright green appearance.
Gypsophila repens, the alpine gypsophila or creeping baby's breath, is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae, native to the mountains of central and southern Europe, where it grows on dry, chalky slopes. The Latin name literally means "creeping chalk-lover". It is a prostrate, mat-forming herbaceous perennial, growing around 20 cm (8 in) tall by 30–50 cm (12–20 in) wide. For much of the summer it bears masses of star-shaped flowers which may be white, lilac or light purple, in loose panicles.
Campanula poscharskyana, the Serbian bellflower or trailing bellflower, is a semi-evergreen trailing perennial, valued for its lavender-blue star-shaped flowers. It is native to the Dinaric Alps in former Yugoslavia.
Prostanthera cuneata, commonly known as alpine mint bush, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae, and is endemic to mountainous areas of south-eastern continental Australia. It is an erect, compact shrub with egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and pale lavendar to almost white flowers with purple blotches.
Campanula alliariifolia is a species of flowering plant in the bellflower family Campanulaceae. It is native to the Caucasus and Turkey and it is grown as an ornamental plant. Common names include Cornish bellflower.
Cyclamen hederifolium, the ivy-leaved cyclamen or sowbread, is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae. This widespread cyclamen species is widely cultivated and among the most hardy and vigorous in oceanic climates. It is native to woodland, shrubland, and rocky areas in the Mediterranean region from southern France to western Turkey and on Mediterranean islands, and naturalized farther north in Europe and in the Pacific Northwest.
Favratia zoysii, known commonly as Zois' bellflower, Zoysi's harebell, or crimped bellflower, is the sole member of the genus Favratia, closely related to Campanula (bellflowers).
Campanula garganica, the Adriatic bellflower, syn. C. elatines var. garganica, is a species of flowering plant in the bellflower family Campanulaceae, native to Southern Europe. It is a small, spreading herbaceous perennial growing to 5 cm (2 in). Basal rosettes of leaves bear a profusion of star-shaped blue flowers in summer.
Campanula lactiflora, the milky bellflower, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Campanula of the family Campanulaceae, native to Turkey and the Caucasus. It is a medium-sized herbaceous perennial growing to 1.2 m, with narrow, toothed leaves 5–12 cm (2–5 in) long. Large conical clusters of open, star-shaped flowers are produced on branching stems in summer. In favourable conditions it will self-seed with variable results. The flowers are usually white or pale blue, but numerous cultivars have been developed for garden use, in a range of colours.
Campanula raineri is a species of flowering plant in the genus Campanula of the family Campanulaceae, native to the Swiss and Italian Alps. It is a low-growing herbaceous perennial growing 5–8 cm (2–3 in) tall by up to 20 cm (8 in) wide, with pale lilac bell-shaped flowers in summer. It is suitable for cultivation in the alpinum or rock garden. It spreads by underground runners. Its locus classicus is located in Canzo, Lombardy.
Campanula betulifolia, the birch-leaved bellflower, is a flowering plant in the family Campanulaceae, native to Turkey, where it grows in crevices in volcanic cliffs. The plant was named in 1850 by the German botanist Karl Koch, following plant-collecting expeditions to the Caucasus.
Campanula tommasiniana, known as the Croatian bellflower or Tommasini bell flower, is a perennial species of flowering plant in the family Campanulaceae. It is native to the alpine regions of Croatia. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit as an ornamental.
