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Campanula lactiflora is a simple but elegant plant with low growing requirements. You can plant a perennial in any garden, and the variety of varieties allows you to choose the desired shade of flowering.
Description of the milkflower
The herbaceous perennial Campanula lactiflora belongs to the Campanula family and looks like a medium-sized plant with straight branched stems, brownish-green or with a slight red tint, about 20 pieces. The leaves of the milkflower bell are wide, but elongated, slightly toothed, pointed at the ends, and rough to the touch. In the lower part of the plant, the plates sit on short petioles, and closer to the top - directly on the stem.
The Campanula bush consists of 20 stems or more
The height of the plant can rise up to 170 cm above the ground.It usually spreads half a meter in diameter, grows quickly, and by mid-July the bushes have already reached their maximum size.
The perennial prefers to grow in well-lit areas with light shade from direct sunlight. In nature, you can find the milky bell mainly in warm regions, in Asia Minor and the Caucasus. But it also grows in subalpine meadows and mountain forests, tolerates winter temperature drops down to -35 °C, and is therefore suitable for cultivation in the middle zone, the Urals and Western Siberia.
Flowering begins in June and can last until early September, especially if faded buds are removed in a timely manner, they are replaced by new ones. The flowers of the plant are star-shaped, five-petaled, up to 4 cm wide. The photo of the milk-flowered bell shows that the buds are collected in large racemose inflorescences. They can bloom very profusely in favorable conditions - with moderate moisture, neutral soil and good lighting. The range of flowering is determined by the variety; the buds can be white, blue, soft lilac and even two-colored, with a light neck.
Milkflower bluebell can bloom all summer
Varieties of milkflower bellflower
Decorative forms of perennials are represented by several popular varieties. In terms of care requirements, they are very similar, but differ in size and shade of flowering.
Pritchards Variety
The variety Prichards Variety, or Prichards Variety, bears beautiful blue or soft lavender flowers. In size, the bushes of the milkflower bell are medium-sized, up to 60 cm, and the perennial prefers to grow in the sun.It reaches its maximum decorative value in June and can delight with its inflorescences until autumn.
Pritchards Variety tolerates winter cold well down to - 34 °C
Loddon Anna
The Loddon Anna variety is tall and can grow up to 125 cm. The flowers of the perennial are pink or light purple and bloom from late May to early September. The diameter of individual buds can be up to 4 cm. The plant is frost-resistant, suitable for growing in zone 4 (up to - 34 ° C), does not need shelter.
Variety Loddon Anna grows well in lighted areas
Alba
The Alba variety rises up to 80 cm above the ground, is distinguished by a loose bush silhouette and abundant snow-white flowering. The buds of the white milk-flowered bell are large, up to 6 cm wide, star-shaped, and they bloom from June to August.
It is best to plant Alba in the sun, although the bell develops well in slight shade
Superba
The decorative variety Superba grows up to 125 cm and forms fairly dense bushes with abundant flowering in June and July. The buds of the perennial are dark purple, small, only up to 2 cm. The milky bell grows well on loose, nutritious soils in sunny areas, and easily tolerates partial shade and winter cold below - 30 ° C.
The Superba variety is used for cutting; the thick, bright clusters of bells do not fade for a long time
Cerulea
The Cerulea variety, or Caerulea, reaches a height of 100 cm and blooms from the beginning of June. The flowers are bluish, delicate, with a pleasant light aroma. The variety prefers moderate moisture and grows well in sunny areas with loose soil. For the winter it requires pruning, but no shelter is needed, and tolerates frosts of about -34 °C.
The soft blue bell Cerulea looks great in light shade
Poof
The Pouffe variety is a dwarf variety and is excellent for rocky gardens, alpine hills and growing in containers. The height of the bush is about 30-40 cm, the flowering of the variety is soft lilac, lasting from June to August. The low perennial tolerates winter well and does not require shelter at frosts below - 30 g°C.
The Poof variety belongs to the dwarf category - about 20 cm
Application in design
Modest milky bells look great during the flowering period and therefore are actively used in creating landscapes. They are planted on the site:
- in rocky compositions;
Lilac and blue flowers of low-growing varieties look good in rockeries and alpine slides
- near bodies of water;
Tall and medium-sized varieties of bells can be used to beautifully decorate the banks
- in art groups with conifers;
Bells look good against the backdrop of dense greenery
- when decorating borders.
Low varieties beautifully frame paths in the garden
Bluebells can grow successfully next to roses, cereals, wildflowers, pansies, cornflowers, carnations and other crops. Only moisture-loving plants and trees with a strong root system are not suitable for them as neighbors. In the first case, the milk bell will suffer from waterlogging, and in the second it will have to compete for water and nutrients.
Reproduction methods
In the garden, the milkflower bell is propagated in the following ways:
- seeds;
- dividing an adult plant along the rhizome;
- cuttings;
- suckers, or young rosettes, developing at some distance from the main stem.
The easiest way to grow milk bells is from seeds.When breeding rare varieties, cuttings and suckers are used.
Milky bell germinates well from seeds
Planting a milkflower
The perennial plant is very unpretentious and easy to root. It is enough for a gardener to know the basic rules of planting.
Dates and location selection
It is best to plant the milkflower bell in late spring or August. Theoretically, the procedure can be carried out even in the middle of summer, but the beginning and end of the growing season remain the optimal dates.
Choose an area for the plant that is open, but with light shade from buildings or trees. Milky bell loves light, but grows worse in direct sunlight. The soil for perennials is loose and nutritious; the pH level should be close to neutral. The plant should not be planted in lowlands or near groundwater; it needs good drainage.
Preparing soil and seedlings
Before planting the milkflower bell, the area needs to be dug up and, if necessary, the soil needs to be improved. If the soil in the garden is too heavy, it needs to be mixed with humus; on light soils, it is recommended to add turf and compost. Sand must be added to the soil; it will ensure good removal of excess moisture.
When planting several bells, you need to leave space between the bushes
At the selected location for the plant, small holes are prepared; they should be twice the size of the root system.A drainage of sand or small stones is poured into the bottom, and the hole is filled halfway with the prepared soil mixture.
Landing algorithm
A couple of hours before planting, a perennial seedling can be briefly dipped in water with its roots. If there is a clod of earth, you can simply moisten it generously. Then you need to:
- place the plant in the prepared hole;
- fill with the remaining soil flush with the surface;
- lightly compact the top layer next to the stem.
The seedling must be watered immediately, but carefully, so as not to erode the soil at the base. If several plants are being rooted at once, gaps of 30-60 cm should be left between them, depending on the size of the particular variety.
Aftercare
Caring for milkflower bells is extremely simple. The gardener needs to monitor the moisture and cleanliness of the soil, and also fertilize the plant from time to time.
Watering
A perennial plant requires moisture, but in very moderate quantities. Typically, the herbaceous shrub has enough natural rainfall; it needs additional watering only in extreme heat and in the absence of rain.
Milkflower bells need to be watered rarely, even in hot summers.
Top dressing
Undemanding to growing conditions, the milkflower bell needs fertilizer twice a season. In the spring, urea or ammonium nitrate is added to the flowerbed with the plant for rapid growth of stems and leaves - the dosage should not exceed 40 g per meter.At the beginning of summer, when buds appear, the perennial can be fed with superphosphate and potassium, they will contribute to more abundant flowering.
Mulching and loosening the soil
Milky bell prefers breathable, light soils. After each watering or natural precipitation, the soil in the flowerbed must be carefully loosened to a depth of about 6 cm. The procedure not only improves oxygen access to the roots, but also helps fight weeds that rob the plant of moisture and nutrients.
It is also recommended to mulch the flowerbed with straw or wood chips. This will prevent the soil from drying out in the heat and also prevent weeds from breaking through to the surface.
Tying to a support
Many varieties of milkflower grow above 70 cm. During the flowering period, their stems can break under the weight of numerous buds or from the wind. Therefore, tall varieties can be tied to any support.
Very tall bell bushes can be tied up if there is support nearby
Preparing for winter
At the beginning of autumn, the milkflower finishes flowering. With the onset of October, the stems of the plant are completely cut off at the root; the procedure helps the perennial to prepare for winter.
3 weeks before the onset of cold weather, organic fertilizer is applied - the plant is covered with humus or dry peat on top with a layer of 15 cm. In the conditions of the middle zone and even the Urals, such insulation for the roots will be enough, but if desired, you can cover the flowerbed with fallen leaves or spruce branches.
Diseases and pests
Milky bell has a high natural resistance to fungal diseases. But sometimes he may suffer from illness, especially in rainy and cloudy summers. Most often it is affected by:
- spot rust;
Rust leaves unsightly brown-red marks on the leaves and leads to wilting.
- powdery mildew;
With powdery mildew, a white coating appears on the green parts, and the bell may completely wither
- root rot.
When rot appears, the roots and stems of the bell darken and soften
To treat diseases, use a solution of Fundazol or ordinary copper sulfate. If the conditions on the site are unfavorable, it makes sense to carry out preventive treatments three times a season from early spring.
Among the pests that are dangerous for the milkflower bell are:
- slugs;
When humidity is high, slugs eat away at leaves and flowers.
- spider mite;
Spider mites can thickly entangle a bell with cobwebs, especially if the summer is dry
- mole crickets.
The mole cricket actively digs holes in the soil and damages the roots of the bell
To eliminate insects, they use Karbofos and Actellik, and a homemade soap solution also helps. To prevent pests, it is very important to loosen the soil from time to time, in which the larvae and adults are hiding.
Conclusion
Campanula lactiflora is a beautiful and low-maintenance perennial with high frost resistance. White, blue and purple varieties allow you to choose the most suitable plant for your site.
