Yummy Bellflowers - campanula

[ottawagardener]

Frank mentioned campanulas as possible coldframe crops in another post and I am very interested in what the best ones are for culinary purposes as it's not something you normally stumble across when reading vegetable gardening books.

Here are some that I have heard are edible:

Rampion - Campanula rapunculus

Produces an edible leaves and root. We have a common similar looking weed which I am pretty sure is actually Campanula rapunculoides. I believe it is also edible in a similar way to rampion proper.

Plants for a Future likes - Campanula versicolor, C. latifolia, C. punctata, Campanula takesimana and the rampions.

Most (all?) of the bellflowers are listed as having edible leaves or flowers but that doesn't really tell me what they taste like. What are your favourites / experiences?

[jason]

I'm interested in responses to this too. I've been researching the campanulas lately and am planning to grow C. latifolia, persicifolia, and glomerata this year.

[canadamike]

rapunculoides IS rampion, Telsing

[orflo]

rapunculoides is rover bellflower, rapunculus is rampion...
but they're often listed wrong. I haven't tried them all, but I do like glomerata, with very good tasting leaves, and stays green during mild winters.I never tried the leaves of persificolia, but the flowers, and they're not bad, I didn't see this plant this year, so I guess it's short lived, just as campanula elatines, very nice sweetish leaves but it also disappeared. And of course the rampion, c. rapunculus, with radish-like roots, nice tasting leaves and flowers, cornucopia mentions blanching but I never tried that. And there's lots more to try...

[canadamike]

I should have said it gets named rampion bellflower too, you could google it, but it might be a mistake. I am not that good at eating all that is not poisonous!! ;D

[ottawagardener]

Dude: What are you suggesting? Our ancestors would have starved with that attitude ;D

At any rate... rampion roots are supposed to be genuinely tasty. I was going to try Canadian 'rampion' but my patch only had thin roots.

[stevil]

Well, I won't get into the rapuculus / rapunculoides argument.

However, when I first moved to my present garden many moons ago, there was one weed that I struggled to eradicate from my cultivated garden – Campanula latifolia or Giant Bellflower. The roots in particular were almost impossible to dig out. Then, I read in a book written during the Second World War about wild edibles in Norway about how Campanula latifolia was known to have been used by farmers around here in the 17th century. In fact, they apparently collected large amounts of this herb in early spring and made it into a soup. Old records otherwise seem to suggest that Norwegians hardly ate vegetables at all, so this was quite surprising to read. From that day on, I've treated this plant differently and use it reguarly in all sorts of cooked dishes and salads particularly in the spring time.

It's quite a common herb and is quite happy in deep shade. Here's a picture from a local nature reserve where it's the domianant plant:

www.hagepraten.no/gallery/pic.php?mode=large&pic_id=1138

..and in my garden it's also very common, here growing under Hazel with Ground Elder and Hedge Mustard (Alliaria)

www.hagepraten.no/gallery/pic.php?mode=large&pic_id=1139

...and by late May there is plenty of leaf to harvest. Giant Bellflower (on the right), Masterwort (in the middle) and, yes, Alfalfa (on the left).

www.hagepraten.no/gallery/pic.php?mode=large&pic_id=1140

Of course, when it is in flower it is a beautiful plant too and both white and mauve flowered wild plants are common here. There are also a number of commercial cultivars available - currently at least 12 are sold in the UK (RHS Plant Finder) showing that it is also used as an ornamental. Just be aware that it self-sows freely if allowed to.

The taste is mild and slightly sweet.

I've tried a few others, including both rapunculus (the roots are very small here and could do with some selection) and rapunculoides and also species of Adenophora, but haven't noticed any big differences. I haven't succeeded with Campanula versicolor - Ken Fern of PFAF raves about this one. However, I now have 20-30 species, so I can see a tasting trial coming on - need a few volunteers...

[ottawagardener]

Yes, I remember the versicolour rave. I've also heard peopel rave over glomerata. Maybe my patch of rampion has average sized roots then. Next year, as I try to eradicate them (they are infamous weeds in gardens around here. I know as along with some mustards and couch grass, they are the most common weeds I curse in people's gardens when I'm doing work for them), I'll eat the roots. If they taste good, then I'll enjoy the eradication process as I know that it is one of those plants that doesn't let go of soil easily. It does make a pretty groundcover and flower so if it is edible then maybe my weeding attemps will be half-hearted.

[stevil]

Sounds to me like it's rapunculoides (Creeping Bellflower) that you have... This is one of the worst garden weeds here (in fact its Norwegian name translates as Weed-bellflower). Rapunculoides is perennial whereas rapunculus (Rampion) is biennial and is not difficult to dig or pull out.

[jason]

Thanks for posting those latifolia photos stevil!

[raymondo]

Are rampion seeds like dust? I bought a packet but it looks like brown dust, and so far I've been unable to get it to germinate.

[ottawagardener]

Hmm... good question. I do think they are very small but I've not seen them yet. My creeping bellflower self seeds without my help.

I've ordered some too, I"ll let you know when they arrive.

[orflo]

Raymondo, as far as I remember (I should have some seeds lying about over here, but I'm re-ordering my seeds right now...) the seeds are very small, and indeed brown. But to say they're like dust,...hmmm, that seems a bit unlikely. These seeds germinate better when they remain uncovered in their pots, so don't cover them, germination should be OK then. I'm just thinking about the viability of the seeds, but I don't remember if they can be used for some years or not...

[ottawagardener]

Just arrived in the mail and the verdict. Yes, kinda like reddish brown dust. Very, very small seed.

[raymondo]

Thanks Otawa. It's reassuring to know that I do actually have seeds!