Harebell
Campanula rotundifolia
A delicate, wiry perennial found across Alberta from prairie to alpine. Nodding blue-violet bell-shaped flowers dance above fine thread-like stem leaves (the round basal leaves usually wither before bloom, despite the Latin 'rotundifolia'). Thrives in rocky crevices, gravel, and lean soils — perfect for rock gardens. Recent research may reclassify our North American plant as Campanula alaskana.
Quick Facts
Distribution
Province-wide (prairie to alpine), Zone 2
Light
Full sun to part shade
Bloom Time
June–Sept
Soil
Well-drained, rocky, lean; self-seeds in retaining walls and crevices
Water
Low — dislikes overwatering
Growing & Cultivation
Propagation
Seed sown on surface (needs light to germinate) — 3–4 weeks to sprout; cold stratification speeds germination. Also by stem cuttings below a node in early spring or late summer.
Spacing
15–25 cm
