Caution: This species is extremely invasive in North America!

Campanula rapunculoides is native to most of Europe, Caucasus, Iran, Central Asia and Siberia. It has attractive flower spikes, and is extremely tough and hardy. Unfortunately, it is also extremely invasive, rapidly spreading throughout the garden and lawn, and worse, also escaping into the wild in many areas. Most people find it very difficult to get rid of, once its invasive habit makes itself known.

It spreads rampantly by thin, delicate roots that arise from thick, white, vertically-penetrating, carrot-like roots that are very deep in the soil. Eradication efforts will be useless unless very deep digging is done to remove the white basal roots.

Its relentless spread is also aided by the large amount of seed produced. The seed is very lightweight and so can be windblown large distances.

The basal leaves are heart-shaped, with long points, and are held on long stalks; these wither as the stems elongate. The stem leaves are broadly lance-shaped (oblanceolate) and stalkless. All leaves are prominently veined on the underside and lightly toothed.
The blue-purple flowers occur on an upright spike (raceme), and are held in drooping fashion, or horizontally. Calyx lobes are lance-shaped and are strongly reflexed at flowering; there are no appendages. The style is in 3 parts, and is the same length as the corolla. Corolla lobes are divided to one-third, and are pointed and slightly reflexed.

This species may be allowed entrance to the garden under false pretences. It is often passed around as plants and seeds in the guise of various Adenophora species, and as other Campanula species. Beware!

Note: This species is distinctly different from Rampion (Campanula rapunculus) - it is only the name that is slightly similar.

Ref. for plant description details and native range: Campanulas: A Gardener's Guide, Peter Lewis and Margaret Lynch, 1998, Timber Press.

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Very common in Minneapolis. Grows in lawns, alleys, between cracks in pavement, sun or shade. Seedlings are tough and can come up in dry soil. Very different from harebell, which almost never manages to produce seedlings in the garden. Spreads by underground runners and as far as I can tell has no pests that eat it.

Plants for a Future says leaves, young shoots, and roots (what I guess are taproot-like tubers) are edible, mild-flavored and rich in vitamin C. I've eaten the leaves, and they aren't bad. I ought to eat more and try cooking the tubers, because there are (unfortunately) large patches all over the yard. Older roots are probably tough and stringy, though.

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