I have had some strange leaves growing in one end of my prairie. For years, it just sat there, not blossoming or showing me what it was except to keep spreading.* A few years ago, it popped up a couple of funny looking flowers that were the deepest brightest purple I have every seen. Over the years, I have clipped the flowers because I knew they didn’t belong in my prairie, but I still didn’t know what they were. Then last year long-stemmed blue bell-shaped flowers appeared. This flower I knew because friends through Wild Ones had been complaining about this plant for awhile. It was Creeping Bellflower (Campanula rapunculoides).
*I watch this spot because a number of years ago I had an infestation of Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula) in that very same spot. ‘Took me forever to get rid of that and I still have some specimens pop up now and then.
Clustered Bellflower
This year I haven’t seen the Creeping Bellflower, but the other funny looking flower is back. Huh! What gives? Well, it occurred to me, since the leaves for both looked the same, that I should check the bellflower species to see if I could find the answer. There it was. It’s called Clustered Bellflower (Campanula glomerata). Of course, I don’t know where I got either of these species from, but they’re here. Now what?
I’ve tried several types of Round-Up and also Triamine Jet-Spray so far. None of these helped kill off even one leaf. Besides attempting to dig this plant out in the densest clay you can imagine, have you had success in getting rid of these plants? If so, please leave a comment and let us know what you’ve tried.
See also Creeping Bellflower – Sneaky Invasive.
No solution, but a lot of sympathy! This was in our yard when we moved in about 35 years ago and it seemed rather benign at the time. Over the decades it has continued to spread and I have been increasingly alarmed. My husband made it a project this year and pulled a lot out, but the visible plant is just the tip of the iceberg. He totally removed all plants from an area and dug down to get the tuber supporting the whole mess. I’ve replanted there but will never be able to move those plants elsewhere since I’m afraid there might be bits of root left. Someone on a recent yard tour said that her friend had given her some, mentioning that “it spreads”! I also saw C. persicifolia for sale at Home Depot – another invasive! I’ll send you a photo of the root system my husband removed.
Thanks for sharing, Janet. I appreciate the support against this nearly overwhelming pest. Thanks, too, for the great photos. See More on Bellflowers.
I too have been taken over by this plant!! Friends have taken roots home and can’t get it to grow. I wish I had that problem. It is crowding out all my other plants. I refuse to try roundup as it will pollute my well. We are eating enough of it unfortunately in corn, wheat and oats.
Hi! Nancy — as you know, I can commiserate with you. I would not encourage friends to take this plant home, however, even though that seems like a good way to get rid of them. Every non-native plant that displaces a native plant reduces the habitat available for our native wildlife. Don’t give up!
Try white vinegar 1 gallon
Salt 1 cup
Dawn dish soap1tablespoon
This is our go to killer. Spray in the mornings on hot, sunny days. Repeat repeat repeat.
Burns the top before it goes to seed.
No guarentee. But worth a try.
Very cheap.
Thanks for sharing your recipe for your homemade herbicide, Deb. However, you didn’t include the amount of water you use to dilute this mixture — or don’t you use water? And, unfortunately, although I would love to promote your recipe, I cannot recommend it to others.
Using this type of vinegar/salt based herbicide typically only serves to burn the leaves; hence the need to “repeat repeat repeat.” The roots of the plant are not generally affected, so the plant bounces back and continues blooming and forming seeds unless you are religious about “repeat repeat repeat.” The other thing that happens is its horrific affect on the biologic organisms in the soil. The vinegar is an acid so it burns the organisms. Salt is a drying agent so it dries the skin of the organisms. Both can lead to death.
And death is likely what will happen to any insects the detergent touches. While the detergent might not have any residual affects on the soil, it will affect any insect indiscriminately coated by your spray solution. Personally, I hate weeds, but I love the insects which are such an important part of our web of life.
Can anyone tell me if there are any flowers or bulbs that can still be planted in Madison, WI? I have a friend having a birthday and want to get her something to plant now. Thank you.
South Central Wisconsin Read South Central Wisconsin and you should have a couple prairie plants there. Bulbs — Trillium’s, Jack in the Pulpit’s and Solomon’s seal.
Hi Donna,
I live in the UK where it is non invasive. I love it and grown it.
If your trying to get rid of it, I have found that to use any type organic or glyphosate type ( please don’t😫 ) it must be used early on the year when the ground is still moist and the leaves are young and fleshy. As soon as the ground is dry it’s useless using any type of weed killer, as It helps the plant to survive, yes you will burn the leaves but not damage the roots. You definitely will have more success in the early part of the growing season than any other time of the year. I wish you luck in your endeavours, If you want to try to contain it this might work there is a product you can buy ( good for containing bamboo ) it’s a heavy duty corrugated plastic membrane that is sunk into the ground to surround the area and con not be penetrated by the roots of a plant
Sandy — good to know! — Donna
I know every perennial’s job is to spread and “take over”; I have battled all kinds of plants who have done their job better than I wanted them to do. However, this plant makes all the rest seem like slackers. This plant has choked out everything in its wake in several places in my huge cottage garden. Last summer was so hot and dry, I know I did neglect the gardens somewhat, but this spring, this plant created an emergency situation. Truly. I only garden organically, so I am spending day after day digging in my clay soil and re-planting the plants that are being choked out. I just spent my fourth eight hour day, and I am not even half done. My husband worked for three hours today, and an experienced gardening friend spent three hours. I may need to hire help. Its leaves are absolutely everywhere. My back aches, and I am so very sorry I bought this plant not that long ago. I feel better knowing I am not alone.
Suzanne — I feel for you. To slow bellflowers from spreading their seeds around, I have resorted to pull the flower and put them into the garbage — Donna