Alpine Garden Society

Ulster Group

Plant of the Month, August  2017
 Pulsatilla campanella - by Harold McBride

This Pasque-flower is not the most glamorous  or widely grown species of the genus, however I feel it should be more popular as it is a most attractive plant & is easily catered for  in our Irish climate.


P. campanella
  comes from the mountains of  Central Asia, found as far east as Siberia & centrally in Tien Shan & N.W. China.


Growing as high as 4500 m in rocky montane, moraines and tundra  or grassy slopes.
I have grown several colour forms under this name from wild collected seed; however the form with violet flowers is most widely seen in cultivation.
 

P. campanella in flower in the garden, May 2017

CULTIVATION.


Easily grown from fresh seed, it reaches flowering size in two years.    The adult plants  thrive in raised - bed conditions or in a large trough, where they enjoy perfect drainage.


It is one of the latest members of the genus to flower, being seen at its best in mid-May, when many other Pasque-flower flowers are showing fluffy seed heads.


Seed is usually listed on both AGS & SRGC  seed exchange lists.