False Campanula, Lilyleaf Ladybells, Lady Bells

I've only seen this perennial native to parts of Europe to central Asia in European photos. I have never seen it in the USA. There is muc...Read Moreh confusion between this plant and the Creeping Bellflower, Campanula rapunculoides. It is the Creeping Bellflower also from Europe that people see here in the US, that is a powerful, aggressive perennial spreading a lot by underground stems and roots. Check out 'Adenophora liliflolia - Rob's Plants' on the web for info, photos, and comments. The real Lilyleaf Ladybells has white or pale blue or lavender-blue very drooping or nodding bell-shaped flowers. The Bellflower has bright purple flowers that are not so drooping, but sort of lateral.

In the US, most plants and seed sold and traded as ladybells/Adenophora are clearly the weedy, invasive creeping bellflower (Campanula ra...Read Morepunculoides).

That makes it difficult to know whether the negative reviews here are about this Adenophora or the Campanula.

I have yet to see serious evidence that the true A. liliifolia is actually in cultivation in N. America.

The following can be used to distinguish this ladybells species:

1) Flowers white or pale blue
2) Flowers in a symmetrical, pyramidal, branched inflorescence (panicle), not a one-sided raceme (with an unbranched flower stem).
3) The style extends long beyond the rim of the bell.
4) Flowers 1.2-2.0 cm (no more than 0.8").
5) The lobes divide the bell by a quarter of its length or less---in the bellflower, between the lobes the bell is split about half its length.

Here is how to tell any Adenophora in bloom from a Campanula: http://www.robsplants.com/plants/adenophora.php

After 2 years in a partly shaded, dryish spot, this plant has grown into a very dense clump 3 feet across. It blooms heavily for a long p...Read Moreeriod. It spreads fairly fast by underground shoots but not in an invasive manner, as the new stalks come up next to the established ones. The long flower stalks lean over a wall and look great. I would not plant this in a perennial garden, unless its companions are also large, vigorous plants. I am using it as ground cover around shrubs, and it fills this bill well, being totally impenetrable by weeds.

I have found this plant to be a good performer and not overly invasive in my zone 4/5 garden. Easy care, adds nice early summer colour, ...Read Moreand does seem to fair well in drought conditions. I do deadhead to prevent self sowing as they set a tremendous amount of seed if left to their own