Campanulaceae

Bluebell Family

Bluebells and Bellflowers

FAMILY: Bluebell family (Campanulaceae) – Campanula genus.

SPECIES: All species are edible. #1 Parry’s bellflower, Scotch bellflower, or mountain bluebell (Campanula parryi A. Gray). #2 Rocky Mountain bellflower, creeping bellflower, or rampion (Campanula rapunculoides L.). #3 harebell or roundleaf bluebell (Campanula rotundifolia L.). #4 Arctic bellflower (Campanula uniflora L.).

TO UTILIZE AS FOOD: Leaves and flowers of all species in the Campanula genus are reported to be edible (Fern p. 90). In addition, the roots of rampion (C. rapunculoides) are edible fresh or cooked. All 4 species listed above start to bloom in late spring and remain available for gathering well into autumn. These species, except for rampion, are native to North America. Rampion is native to Europe and Asia. Species of this genus tend to prefer cooler climates. From a Native American perspective, the North American species described here were of little or no importance.

Mountain bluebell (C. parryi) is a tiny plant that grows in colonies in mountain meadows. Fresh leaves taste like lettuce with a marshy accent. Cooked leaves taste similar, but milder. The leaves are free of harsh flavors. Only a few grass-like leaves occur on each plant, so hundreds of plants are needed to make just one salad. The wiry stems should be avoided because they have tough fibers that can splinter and irritate your throat. The leaves are free of tough fibers. Harvesting the leaves is easy, but the endeavor may take all day. Mountain bluebell is found primarily in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, and Idaho. Overall, mountain bluebell can serve as a minor addition to a forager’s diet.

Rampion (C. rapunculoides) has refreshingly pleasant leaves that are suitable for soups or salads. Fresh leaves taste similar to a combination of lettuce and nettle. It’s a “deep green” flavor free of anything harsh. Surface hairs impart a raspy texture that’s annoying, but harmless. Cooking does not significantly affect the hairs. Rampion flowers taste delicious and the fleshy roots were once cultivated as vegetables in Europe (Couplan p. 397). Today, rampion is considered a noxious weed. It grows across the northern United States, but it barely enters the Southwest in Colorado and Utah.

Roundleaf bluebell (C. rotundifolia) is essentially the same as mountain bluebell described above. Minor differences occur in the appearance and no significant differences occur in the flavor, texture, and aroma. Roundleaf bluebell is common in the Rocky Mountains and across the northern United States.

Arctic bellflower (C. uniflora) is native to the Rocky Mountains. It barely enters the Southwest in northern New Mexico and eastern Utah. It was the only species of those listed above not located during the fieldwork conducted for this reference.

IDENTIFICATION: About 35-40 species of the Campanula genus are found in the United States. Only 4 occur in the Southwest, Great Basin, and Rocky Mountains. All 4 species have attractive bluish-purple, bell-shaped (campanulate), ovary inferior flowers with 5 stamens and 3-5 stigmas. The combination of these distinctive flowers with alternate leaves and capsular fruits is a sure sign of the Campanula genus. Only mountain bluebells (C. parryi) and roundleaf bluebells (C. rotundifolia) are likely to be encountered in the Southwest. Both are small plants of mountain meadows.

Description of mountain bluebells (Campanula parryi): FORM perennial plant about 5-30 cm tall; LEAVES simple; alternate; upper leaves linear and narrower than the oblanceolate basal leaves; margins smooth or toothed; surfaces hairless; FLOWERS regular, perfect, ovary inferior, upright, and arranged individually or a few in racemes; calyx lobes 5, about 6-18 mm long, and often callous-toothed; corollas bluish-purple, bell-shaped, 5-lobed, and about 11-22 mm long; styles 1; stigmas 3-5; stamens 5, distinct; FRUITS capsules 3-celled, upright, and releasing the numerous seeds through pores near the tops; HABITAT moist mountain meadows of northern Arizona, northern New Mexico, and northward; blooming June to September.

Description of rampion (Campanula rapunculoides): FORM perennial plant about 30-110 cm tall; spreading by rhizomes; LEAVES simple; alternate; stalked; blades lance-ovate; margins serrated; FLOWERS regular, perfect, ovary inferior, nodding, and arranged in one-sided racemes; calyx lobes 5, about 5-10 mm long, and entire; corollas bluish-purple, bell-shaped, 5-lobed, and about 10-30 mm long; styles 1; stigmas 3-5; stamens 5, distinct; FRUITS capsules 3-celled, nodding, and releasing the seeds through basal openings; seeds numerous; HABITAT throughout northern North America and southward into New Mexico; blooming June to October.

Description of roundleaf bluebells (Campanula rotundifolia): FORM perennial plant about 10-50 cm tall; LEAVES simple; alternate; commonly of 3 types; lower leaves long-stalked with rounded blades; middle leaves oblanceolate; upper leaves sessile and linear; margins smooth or toothed; surfaces hairless; FLOWERS regular, perfect, ovary inferior, often nodding, and arranged in racemes of 2-15 (rarely solitary); calyx lobes 5, about 4-9 mm long, entire, and hairless; corollas bluish-purple, bell-shaped, 5-lobed, and about 10-30 mm long; styles 1; stigmas 3-5; stamens 5, distinct; FRUITS capsules 3-celled, nodding, and releasing the numerous seeds through basal openings; HABITAT mountain meadows across the northern hemisphere; blooming June to September.

Description of Arctic bellflower (Campanula uniflora): FORM small, alpine plant about 4-11 cm tall; LEAVES simple; alternate; upper leaves linear-oblanceolate and narrower than the elliptic-oblanceolate basal leaves; margins smooth or weakly toothed; surfaces hairless; FLOWERS regular, perfect, ovary inferior, and arranged individually; calyx lobes 5, about 2-6 mm long, and often hairy; corollas 5-lobed, bell-shaped, 4-12 mm long, and bluish-purple; styles 1; stigmas 3-5; stamens 5, distinct; FRUITS capsules 3-celled, upright, and releasing the numerous seeds through pores near the tops; HABITAT alpine meadows; circumpolar in the northern hemisphere; barely entering the southwestern United States; blooming July to August.

REFERENCES: Fern (p. 90) states that all species of the Campanula genus have edible leaves and flowers. Rampion (Campanula rapunculoides): roots and leaves Couplan (p. 397) and Peterson (p. 128).