Spotted bellflower 'Cherry Bells'

Questions about spotted bellflower 'Cherry Bells'

Does spotted bellflower 'Cherry Bells' need sun or shade?

Spotted bellflower 'Cherry Bells' grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day) and part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun).

It wants ordinary well-drained soil, of average fertility, and a good soak in dry spells.

What zones does spotted bellflower 'Cherry Bells' grow in?

USDA zones 4 to 8. It is hardy to zone 4, which means it survives winter nights down to about −20 °F (−29 °C).

Above zone 8 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does spotted bellflower 'Cherry Bells' flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers late June to early August. As a summer flower it moves about half a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should spotted bellflower 'Cherry Bells' be planted?

18 in (45 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 24 in (60 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 24 in (60 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many spotted bellflower 'Cherry Bells' plants do I need?

At 18 in apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 5 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 7 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 17 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as a group of three or five, with a second group further along in the other number.

In the bed above, the planner used three in one group.

Is spotted bellflower 'Cherry Bells' poisonous to dogs and cats?

No toxicity is recorded for dogs, cats, horses or people, according to NC State Extension.

"Not toxic" is not "edible": a pet that eats a lot of any plant can be sick.

Is there a native plant like spotted bellflower 'Cherry Bells'?

Spotted bellflower 'Cherry Bells' comes from Sibera, China, Japan. These North American natives come closest to doing its job:

• Purple coneflower: the same job in a bed and the same colour; 12 in taller, flowers late June to early September.
• Yarrow: the same job in a bed, the same size and the same colour; flowers mid June to late August, fine leaves, not medium.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat spotted bellflower 'Cherry Bells'?

Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.

Will spotted bellflower 'Cherry Bells' spread?

It spreads sideways, by runners or roots; the risk of it taking over is high. Spreads fast by underground runners and pops up through its neighbours. Contain it or give it a space of its own.

What flowers after spotted bellflower 'Cherry Bells'?

Spotted bellflower 'Cherry Bells' is over by early August. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Lilyturf: from early August to mid September, 16 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Japanese anemone: from mid August to early October, 3 ft tall.
• Hosta 'Guacamole': from early August to late August, 24 in tall.

What does spotted bellflower 'Cherry Bells' look like in winter?

Spotted bellflower 'Cherry Bells' dies down to the ground and there is nothing to see until spring. The old stems can be cut in autumn, or left until spring as shelter for overwintering insects.