Campanula x haylodgensis: Help with Growing Tips

I picked this plant up today and I asked if I could put it outside and the staff member at the nursery said not to. So as bad as I am keeping things alive inside, I got it for a few weeks of pretty cheery color. Right now I have it out on the porch with my other house plants and it's actually doing better than when I brought it home. Wanting to find some more information on it, I came out here and searched online. I've found nearly nothing on it! There are quite a few posts here at DG asking about it but not much in the way of useful care information. What I have discovered is that it is some variety of Campanula x haylodgensis, I'm not too concerned about the specific variety. It is apparently an alpine native to the mountains of southern Europe. The information is all very contradictory online, some places say hardy to Z3 others Z6. Nearly nothing on watering. Most agree it needs sun to part sun and very well drained soil as it is prone to root rots and such. I'm thinking of digging a whole in my rock covered ground cover in a protected spot and sticking it in as it seems to dislike indoor environments. The flowers are very much to my liking, a small (1/4 to 1/2 inch) blue rose like bloom all over the top of pretty green leaves. What would you do with it? Has anyone had success with these? None of the posts I've seen here at DG have been updated to mention how people are keeping these alive, if they are at all.

Hmm, I can't imagine why you'd be told not to grow it outside?????
I don't have this particular campanula but it's a hybrid between C. carpatica and C. cochleariifolia, both of which are hardy and undemanding here in zone 3... add in "hybrid vigor", and it may be a little hardier yet. And I'd guess that in Colorado (similar to here), you wouldn't have those wet climate problems (i.e. "root rot") to contend with. Regular garden soil is fine for nearly all campanulas here, but to be on the safe side, you might provide the "well-drained soil" and "even moisture" that are generally recommended (i.e. no standing water, no waterlogged soil).

By the way, it's actually a cross that was raised by Mr. Augustine Henry at Hay Lodge, near Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1885 (ref. Lewis and Lynch, Campanulas: A Gardener's Guide), not a naturally occurring hybrid, apparently. (EDIT: Errr, the cross did not occur in nature, apparently, is what I meant to say!)

This message was edited Oct 15, 2007 12:41 AM

This message was edited Oct 15, 2007 9:12 PM

We get something similar (if not the same) frequently at the Home Depot. Never even occurred to me to try it outside. Silly me.

Hay Lodge(place name) + ensis(meaning "of" or "from")

Very fitting.

Fitting indeed. Thank you for the history. I've learned that the nursery people mean well but don't always have the right answers. That's why I have the internet. I made a nice little nook for the plant in my rock ground cover with a good amount of well draining soil and pea gravel next to the down spout. I guess I'll just see what happens. The poor thing had more root material than soil so I had to loosen up the root ball really good first. I can't imagine how it was even living in that little pot full of roots.

There are other double-flowering campanulas too. I've had C. cochleariifolia 'Elizabeth Oliver' and a C. carpatica hybrid called 'Thor Pedo' for a while now... outside of course. There are probably others as well?

This message was edited Oct 15, 2007 9:06 PM

I can't imagine how it was even living in that little pot full of roots.

It's not as uncommon as you think. As long as the roots get water, air(oxygen) and nutrients, most plants will be very happy. No need for a medium like soil, except maybe to hold the plant up.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Actually, the Home Depot double campanula's do look more like straight carpatica.

Haylodgensis is fine outdoors in Newfoundland...despite our 60 inches of rain per year! I have it and Elizabeth Oliver....Elizabeth is just a lighter shade of blue, otherwise they are quite similar.

I'm so happy to hear they are working for others outdoors. They're so cute, I'd love to put in a few more next year. (smile)