Campanula takesimana Alba

Campanula takesimana 'Alba', also known as the Korean Bellflower, offers extraordinary flowers in the shape of very long tubular bells, borne in spikes. The flowers are pure white with a spotted purple throat. This remarkable perennial uses its trailing rhizomes to form large clumps of basal rosettes from which slender, arching, leafy flowering stems emerge in late spring and almost throughout the summer. This campanula is particularly bright in shaded areas of the garden and produces exceptional cut flowers.

Campanula takesimana 'Alba' is the pure white flower form of the Korean bellflower. It belongs to the Campanulaceae family and originates from South Korea, from where it was brought to Europe in the 1920s. This perennial plant develops rapidly from a trailing rhizome stump, forming a mat of large, dentate, shiny, light green leaves gathered in slightly loose basal rosettes. The foliage sometimes persists if the winter is mild. It forms a flowering clump reaching 60 to 65cm (24 to 26in) in height, with a spread of 50cm (20in) or more. The flowering occurs from June to August, depending on the climate, and can continue into autumn if the first faded flowers are removed. Flexible, upright, then arching stems emerge in summer, adorned with tubular flowers with a white exterior and a punctate interior of purple or violet-brown. This species is self-fertile and produces seeds that can self-sow in the garden under the right conditions.

Campanula takesimana 'Alba' is a very refined plant, but it can also be exuberant if the growing conditions suit it. It thrives in partial shade, almost overshadowing foamflowers, hostas, and trilliums, which may not be at their best in summer. It fits perfectly in a natural border where it can spread. It is a very satisfying flowering perennial in a border, even for a novice gardener. It will be perfect alongside other beautiful and easy-to-grow perennials: perennial geraniums, Spanish lavender (Centranthus ruber), phlox, purple coneflower, fennel, field scabious, meadowsweet, hemp nettle, perennial sweet pea, or lady's mantle. It also grows very well in pots.