Alba White Bellflower

Alba White Bellflower (Campanula poscharskyana 'Alba') is a low, mounding, mostly evergreen groundcover perennial, 10cm high and about 50cm wide, with long trailing stems covered in white, five-petalled bell flowers through spring and summer. Frost hardy and drought tolerant, it is a tough little plant for rockeries, walls and pots. It is vigorous, so plan where it can roam.

Why you'll love it

• A flush of white stars. Open, five-petalled flowers cover the trailing stems through spring and summer.
• Spills over walls. The long stems cascade over retaining walls, rockery edges and the rim of a pot or hanging basket.
• Tough as it looks soft. It is frost hardy and drought tolerant, and it grows in any reasonable garden soil.
• Roots in the cracks. It can root and grow in the gaps of a stone wall, which turns a bare wall into a planting.
• Pollinator friendly. The open flowers bring bees and butterflies into the garden.

Where it works best

Rockeries and walls. Plant at the top of a wall or in the pockets of a rockery and let the stems trail down. Moist soil encourages growth, though it also roots in the gaps of stone.

Groundcover and underplanting. Plant 30cm apart to form a continuous low mat beneath taller shrubs. Its runners fill the gaps quickly.

Pots and hanging baskets. Trailing stems spill over the rim of a pot or basket and bring white flowers to a patio or balcony.

Growing Alba White Bellflower in Australia

Position and climate. It flowers best in full sun but will flower in shade too. Frost hardy, it prefers an airy, open position out of tropical humidity, so it suits cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens better than the humid north.

Soil. Any reasonable garden soil will do. Moist soil encourages faster growth, but the plant can also root and grow in dry stone walls.

Water and feed. Mulch and water while it establishes. Once settled it tolerates dry spells, though a regular drink speeds growth.

Pruning. It is a vigorous grower that spreads by runners. Trim it back after flowering as needed, and edge the planting to keep it where you want it.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Alba White Bellflower as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly, and in 140mm pots in packs of 10. Tubes are the economical way to cover a rockery or bank, while the 140mm pots fill a wall or basket sooner. Plants travel upright and settle in within a few weeks.

Tube stock is supplied by our grower and is not always on hand. If the grower has none, the tube shows as sold out, and the notify button on the page emails you the day it is available again.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• More groundcover plants
• Plants for rockeries
• Plants for retaining walls
• Top plants for ground cover

Common questions

Will it take over the garden?

It is vigorous and spreads by runners, so site it carefully. Trim it back after flowering, edge it where you want it to stop, and keep it away from bushland edges.

Does it need full sun?

Full sun gives the most flowers, but it will also flower in shade. An airy, open position out of tropical humidity keeps the plant healthiest.

Can I grow it in a hanging basket?

Yes. The trailing stems spill over the edge of a basket or pot. Water regularly while it establishes.