Campanula rapunculus (rampion)

Japanese name: カンパニュラ ラプンクルス
Scientific name: Campanula rapunculus

[Overview]
A biennial 0.4–1 m tall.
It has a root that swells like a turnip.
The stem is erect and hairy.
There are basal leaves and leaves alternate on the stem; the basal leaves form a rosette, are ovate to elliptic, about 2.5–10 cm long, with winged leaf stalks.
The stem leaves are linear-lanceolate and stalkless.
The leaf margins have a few very low teeth.
The flowers are borne in racemes 15–20 cm long at the stem tips; they are bell-shaped, about 2 cm long, pale blue to blue-purple or white, and the corolla is 5-lobed with the lobes slightly recurved.
The fruit is a capsule.

[Uses]
The roots and young leaves are edible.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed.
It dislikes heat and humidity, but is easy to grow if the environment suits it.
It prefers a sunny, well-drained, well-ventilated place and should be kept out of the afternoon sun.
In warm regions, move potted plants to a cool, partially shaded place in summer, and plant those in the ground under deciduous trees.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient unless sunny weather continues and the soil becomes severely dry.
In spring, apply slow-release fertilizer placed on the soil.
Slugs can be a pest.

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