Canterbury bell

plant

Also known as: Campanula medium

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Last updated

June 22, 2026

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The Canterbury bell is a type of bellflower, belonging to the genus Campanula. This biennial herb, native to southern Europe, is cultivated for its large, showy flowers. These flowers can be pink, blue, or white and grow in spikes, forming cup-shaped blooms. Bellflowers, in general, are known for their characteristic bell-shaped flowers, often blue, and are popular garden ornamentals found primarily in northern temperate regions, Mediterranean areas, and tropical mountains. The name "Canterbury bell" is associated with this specific species (Campanula medium) and has been in use since at least 1565.12

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bellflower
Canterbury bell (C. medium), a southern European biennial, has large pink, blue, or white spikes of cup-shaped flowers. Peach-leaved bellflower (C. persicifolia), found in Eurasian woodlands and meadows, produces slender-stemmed spikes, 30 to 90 cm (12 to 35 inches) tall, of long-stalked outward-facing bells. Rampion…
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Canterbury bell (C. medium), a southern European biennial, has large pink, blue, or white spikes of cup-shaped flowers. Peach-leaved bellflower (C. persicifolia), found in Eurasian woodlands and meadows, produces slender-stemmed spikes, 30 to 90 cm (12 to 35 inches) tall, of long-stalked outward-facing bells. Rampion…
Read More