Meadowbell (Campanula rotundifolia, Sp. Pl.: 163 (1753))

Family: Campanulaceae

Author: L.

Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 163 (1753)

Year: 1753

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Campanula

Vegetable: False

Observations: Europe to Russian Far East

Description

The Meadowbell, known scientifically as Campanula rotundifolia, is a captivating and delicate perennial that belongs to the Campanulaceae family. First described in Carl Linnaeus’s seminal work “Species Plantarum” in 1753, this enchanting plant has since captured the interest of botanists and gardening enthusiasts alike.

Meadowbells are native to a vast geographical range stretching from Europe to the Russian Far East. They thrive in diverse habitats, including meadows, grasslands, and rocky slopes, showcasing their remarkable adaptability. Typically, these plants prefer well-drained soils and can often be seen gracing wild landscapes with their bell-shaped blossoms.

The flowers of the Meadowbell are particularly noteworthy. They are usually a soft blue, resembling tiny, hanging bells, and bloom from mid-summer to early autumn. Their delicate petals and vibrant color not only add aesthetic value to natural landscapes but also provide vital nectar for pollinators like bees and butterflies.

Meadowbells have rounded basal leaves that give rise to slender, erect stems. As these stems extend, they produce narrow, lance-shaped leaves alternating along their length. The combination of these leaf forms adds a unique texture to the plant’s overall appearance.

Beyond their beauty, Meadowbells also possess qualities that make them a valuable addition to any garden. They are relatively low-maintenance, requiring only moderate watering once established and thriving in a variety of light conditions, from full sun to partial shade. Because of their hardy nature and appealing flowers, they are often included in wildflower gardens and naturalistic planting schemes.

In conclusion, the Meadowbell, or Campanula rotundifolia, transcends its simple appearance to become a symbol of natural elegance and ecological importance. With a storied history dating back to its first classification in the 18th century and an expansive growth range, this plant continues to enchant and sustain both human admirers and wildlife, making it a cherished component of our natural heritage.

Common Names

Eng: bluebell, bluebell bellflower, bluebell-of-scotland, harebell, meadowbell, roundleaf harebell, bluebell of scotland, harebell / bluebell, scottish bluebell
Dan: blå-klokke, liden klokke, rundbladet klokke
Deu: rundblättrige glockenblume
Nor: biølle, blaa-bielle, blaa-klokke
Swe: blåklocka, kissankello, liten blåklocka
Nob: blåklokke
Nno: blåklokke
Fra: campanule à feuilles rondes, campanule à feuille ronde
Nld: grasklokje
Fin: kissankello
Sme: alitbiellu, alitkreakta, biellorássi, jámešbiellu, kreakta
Cym: cloch y bugail, cloch yr eos, clychau babi, clychau gleision, clychau y tylwyth teg, clychau’r eos, clychlys amryddail, clychlys crwnddail, clychlys cyffredin, clychlys deilgrwn, croeso haf
Gla: bròg na cuthaige, brògan na cuthaige, fuath-mhuc, fuathan-mhuc
En: Meadowbell, Bluebell, Bluebell-of-Scotland, Harebell, Bluebell bellflower, Scottish Bluebell, ROUNDLEAF HAREBELL, Alpine harebell, Blue bellflower, Bluebell of Scotland, Harebell / Bluebell
Ar: جريس مستدير الأوراق
Be: Званочак круглалісты
Bg: Кръглолистна камбанка
Ca: Campànula rotundifòlia
Zh: 圓葉風鈴草
Kw: Klegh an eos
Cs: Zvonek okrouhlolistý
Da: Liden Klokke, Blå-klokke, Rundbladet klokke
Nl: Grasklokje
Et: Ümaralehine kellukas
Fi: Kissankello
Fr: Campanule à feuilles rondes, Campanule à feuille ronde
De: Rundblättrige Glockenblume
Hu: Kereklevelű harangvirág
Is: Bláklukka
Ga: Méaracán gorm
It: Campanula soldanella
Lt: Apskritalapis katilėlis
Nv: Dahiitį́hídą́ą́ʼ dootłʼizhígíí
Se: Biellorássi, Alitbiellu, Alitkreakta, Jámešbiellu, Kreakta
No: Blåklokke, Biølle, Blaa-bielle, Blaa-klokke
Nb: Blåklokke
Nn: Blåklokke
Fa: گل استکانی گرد اسکاتلندی
Pl: Dzwonek okrągłolistny
Ru: Kolokol’chik kruglolistnyi, Колокольчик круглолистный
Gd: Bròg na cuthaige, Brògan na cuthaige, Fuath-mhuc, Fuathan-mhuc
Sk: Zvonček okrúhlolistý
Es: Campana azul, Campanilla
Sv: Liten blåklocka, Blåklocka, Kissankello
Uk: Дзвоники круглолисті
Cy: Clychau’r eos, Cloch y Bugail, Cloch yr Eos, Clychau Babi, Clychau Gleision, Clychau y Tylwyth Teg, Clychlys Amryddail, Clychlys Crwnddail, Clychlys Cyffredin, Clychlys Deilgrwn, Croeso Haf

Synonyms

• Campanula minuta (Savi)
• Campanula cinerea (Hegetschw.)
• Campanula diversifolia (Dumort.)
• Campanula juncea (Hill)
• Campanula filiformis (Gilib.)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. major (A.DC.)
• Campanula pinifolia (Uechtr. ex Pancic)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. linifolia (Wahlenb.)
• Campanula pubescens (Rchb. ex Nyman)
• Campanula reboudiana (Gren. & Godr.)
• Campanula rotundifolia subsp. pennina ((Reut.) Witasek ex Vacc.)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. minor (Witasek ex Vacc.)
• Campanula pennina (Reut.)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. glabra (Lapeyr.)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. lubiciana (Zalewski)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. parviflora (Wahlenb.)
• Campanula minor (Lam.)
• Campanula rotundifolia subsp. langsdorffiana ((A.DC.) Vodop.)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. petiolata (Behm)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. bocconei ((Vill.) Lapeyr.)
• Campanula rotunda (Gilib.)
• Campanula linifolia var. langsdorffiana (A.DC.)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. langsdorffiana ((A.DC.) Britton)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. elata (Hruby)
• Campanula asturica (Podlech)
• Campanula inconcessa (Schott, Nyman & Kotschy)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. umbrosa (Hruby)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. hirta ((Mert. & W.D.J.Koch) Hruby)
• Campanula delicatula (Sennen & Losa)
• Campanula rotundifolia subsp. pedemontana (Witasek)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. calisii (Murr)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. albiflora (G.Don)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. papillifera (Savul.)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. euxina (Velen.)
• Campanula linifolia var. major (Timb.-Lagr.)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. subcongesta (Hruby)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. normalis (Hruby)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. laevis (Guin.)
• Campanula pennica (Reut. ex Payot)
• Campanula rotundifolia subsp. legionensis ((Pau) M.Laínz)
• Campanula balcanica f. racemosa ((Krašan) Hruby)
• Campanula marchesettii var. calisii ((Murr) Dalla Torre & Sarnth.)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. serpentini (Hruby)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. silvatica (H.Post)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. latifolia (Brenner)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. hirta (Mert. & W.D.J.Koch)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. pennina ((Reut.) Nyman)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. stricta (Schumach.)
• Campanula rotundifolia subsp. solstitialis ((A.Kern.) Hayek)
• Campanula confertifolia ((Reut.) Witasek)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. conferta (Soó)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. glabrescens (Hruby)
• Campanula grammosepala var. lobophylla (Vuk.)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. albiflora ((G.Don) House)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. altitatrica (Tacik)
• Campanula decloetiana (Ortmann)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. angustissima (Schur)
• Campanula angustifolia (Lam.)
• Campanula hostii var. uniflora (A.DC.)
• Campanula hostii (Baumg.)
• Campanula grammosepala var. spathiphylla (Vuk.)
• Campanula arcuata var. subrhomboidalis (Schur)
• Campanula heterodoxa (Bong.)
• Campanula legionensis (Pau)
• Campanula rotundifolia subsp. confertifolia ((Reut.) Witasek ex Vacc.)
• Campanula rotundifolia subsp. racemosa ((Krašan) Hayek)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. borhidiana (Soó)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. lanceolata (Wimm. & Grab.)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. solstitialis ((A.Kern.) Beck)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. reflexa (Syr.)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. scabriuscula ((Mert. & W.D.J.Koch) Hruby)
• Campanula grammosepala (Vuk.)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. stenophylla (Rouy)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. saxatilis (Hruby)
• Campanula linifolia var. tenuifolia (Timb.-Lagr.)
• Campanula rotundifolia subsp. montana (P.D.Sell)
• Campanula lobata (Schloss. & Vuk.)
• Campanula rotundifolia subsp. heterodoxa ((Vest ex Schult.) Tacik)
• Campanula lostrittii (Ten.)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. angustifolia ((Lam.) Vacc.)
• Campanula carnica var. racemosa (Krašan)
• Campanula rotundifolia subvar. tenuissima (Hruby)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. legionensis ((Pau) Lacaita)
• Campanula chinganensis (A.I.Baranov)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. decloetiana ((Ortmann) Nyman)
• Campanula pseudovaldensis (Schur)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. hostii ((Baumg.) Nyman)
• Campanula rotundifolia subsp. pinifolia ((Uechtr. ex Pancic) Witasek)
• Campanula bielzii (Schur)
• Campanula solstitialis (A.Kern.)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. flexuosa (C.Vicioso)
• Campanula urbionensis (Rivas Mart. & G.Navarro)
• Campanula scheuchzeri var. heterodoxa ((Vest ex Schult.) A.Gray)
• Campanula linifolia var. heterodoxa ((Vest ex Schult.) Ledeb.)
• Rapunculus esculentus (Steud.)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. bielziana (Schur)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. soldanelliflora ((Voss) L.H.Bailey)
• Campanula scheuchzeri subsp. lanceolata ((Lapeyr.) J.-M.Tison)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. velutina (DC.)
• Campanula sarmentosa (Fenzl & Vuk.)
• Campanula langsdorffiana ((A.DC.) Fisch. ex Trautv. & C.A.Mey.)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. latifrons (Hruby)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. hrubyana (Soó)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. laxiflora (Beck)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. monstrosa (Brenner)
• Campanula rotundifolia subsp. kemensis (Piirainen & Nurmi)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. frondosa (Hruby)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. verlotii (Rouy)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. luxurians (Hruby)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. tenuifolia (A.DC.)
• Campanula scheuchzeri var. inconcessa ((Schott, Nyman & Kotschy) Nyman)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. tenerrima (Hruby)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. micranthoides (Soó)
• Campanula paenina (Reut. ex Tissière)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. imbricata (A.DC.)
• Campanula grammosepala var. cardiophylla (Vuk.)
• Campanula rotundifolia subsp. paenina ((Reut. ex Tissière) Witasek ex Vacc.)
• Campanula rotundifolia subsp. eurotundifolia (Vacc.)
• Campanula rotundifolia subsp. fennica (Piirainen & Nurmi)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. subverruculosa (Guin.)
• Campanula poenina (Reut. ex Tissière)
• Campanula antirrhina (Schleich.)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. ovata ((Peterm.) Hruby)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. papillosa (Beyer)
• Campanula linifolia f. langsdorffiana ((A.DC.) Voss)
• Campanula rotundifolia subsp. lanceolata ((Lapeyr.) Bonnier & Layens)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. calvescens (Witasek ex Vacc.)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. pubescens (Gaudin)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. silvicola (Hruby)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. vulgaris (Neilr.)
• Depierrea campanuloides (Schltdl.)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. legionensis ((Pau) Lacaita)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. heterodoxa ((Vest ex Schult.) Kurtz)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. pygmaea (T.Wulff)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. latifolia ((Brenner) Saelán)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. subhirta (Soó)
• Campanula variifolia (Salisb.)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. confertifolia (Reut.)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. ovalifolia (Hruby)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. ovata (Peterm.)
• Campanula pusilla f. lobata ((Schloss. & Vuk.) Vuk.)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. soldanelliflora (Voss)
• Campanula caballeroi (Sennen & Losa)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. pygmaea (Hruby)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. scopulicola (Lamotte)
• Campanula wiedmannii (Podlech)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. lineariifolia ((Dumort.) Hayek)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. saxicola (Rouy)
• Campanula tracheliifolia (Losa ex Sennen)
• Campanula cespitosa var. bocconei ((Vill.) Steud.)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. delitschiana (Kuntze)
• Campanula allophylla (Raf. ex A.DC.)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. graminifolia (Hruby)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. pusilla (Saelán)
• Campanula rotundifolia f. subracemosa (Hruby)
• Campanula rotundifolia subsp. euxina ((Velen.) Hayek)
• Campanula rotundifolia subvar. pinifolia ((Uechtr. ex Pancic) Hruby)
• Campanula rhomboidalis var. lanceolata ((Lapeyr.) Loisel.)
• Campanula rotundifolia var. scabriuscula (Mert. & W.D.J.Koch)

Distribution

• Albania (native)
• Altay (native)
• Amur (native)
• Austria (native)
• Baltic States (native)
• Belarus (native)
• Belgium (native)
• Bulgaria (native)
• Buryatiya (native)
• Central European Rus (native)
• Chita (native)
• Czechoslovakia (native)
• Denmark (native)
• East European Russia (native)
• Finland (native)
• France (native)
• Føroyar (native)
• Germany (native)
• Great Britain (native)
• Hungary (native)
• Iceland (native)
• Inner Mongolia (native)
• Ireland (native)
• Irkutsk (native)
• Italy (native)
• Kamchatka (native)
• Khabarovsk (native)
• Krasnoyarsk (native)
• Kuril Is. (native)
• Magadan (native)
• Manchuria (native)
• Netherlands (native)
• North European Russi (native)
• Northwest European R (native)
• Norway (native)
• Poland (native)
• Primorye (native)
• Romania (native)
• Sakhalin (native)
• South European Russi (native)
• Spain (native)
• Sweden (native)
• Switzerland (native)
• Tuva (native)
• Ukraine (native)
• West Siberia (native)
• Yakutskiya (native)
• Yugoslavia (native)
• Argentina South (introduced)
• Falkland Is. (introduced)
• New Zealand North (introduced)
• New Zealand South (introduced)

Additional Images

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Flower

Taken Jul 9, 2019 by jose (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 9, 2019 by jose (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 27, 2018 by Fejul Xeto (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 20, 2018 by Sartor Flavio (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 17, 2021 by adrian george (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Taken Aug 21, 2017 by Miguel A. C. (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 10, 2021 by Jacques Zuber (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 22, 2021 by Jeff B (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 29, 2021 by Stéphane Mars (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 29, 2021 by Alain Bigou (cc-by-sa)

Habit

Taken Jul 13, 2008 by Henk Van Lottum (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 31, 2021 by Ben Ruth (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 19, 2022 by David Hocken (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 13, 2008 by Henk Van Lottum (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 29, 2021 by Alain Bigou (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Taken Aug 14, 2022 by Frank Sundermeyer (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 28, 2021 by Terje Norli (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 22, 2022 by William Coville (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 15, 2022 by David Hocken (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 19, 2021 by Dominique Berthelier (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken Sep 23, 2020 by Pascal SOULLET (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 25, 2021 by jam osa (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 8, 2019 by Werner Rom (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 26, 2022 by Waldemar Zeja (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 30, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Christine QUENAON (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken Jul 15, 2018 by Photoflora – Jean-Luc TASSET (©)

Taken Jun 25, 2013 by EOL − Carlos Velazco (cc-by-nc)

Taken Jul 29, 2015 by EOL − Carla Ellis (cc-by-nc)

Taken Aug 25, 2012 by EOL − Matt Muir (cc-by-nc-sa)

Taken Jun 25, 2020 by MICHEL DUSSERE (cc-by-sa)

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30036649-2)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/5410907)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Campanula rotundifolia L.)

Specifications

Growth habit: Forb/herb

Growth

Ph maximum: 5.5

Ph minimum: 5.0

Light: 5

Atmospheric humidity: 5

Soil nutriments: 2