Campanula zoysii

Campanula zoysii
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Campanulaceae
Genus:	Campanula
Species:	C. zoysii
Binomial name
Campanula zoysii Wulfen., 1788
Approximate range of C. zoysii in Europe

Campanula zoysii, known commonly as Zois' Bellflower, Zoysi's Harebell, or Crimped Bellflower) is a flower in the genus Campanula (bellflowers).

The flower is endemic to Austria, northern Italy (Friuli–Venezia Giulia and Veneto), and Slovenia. It grows most readily in limestone crevices in the Julian, Kamnik–Savinja Alps and the Peca Mountain, as well as in the Alps of Italy and Austria.

C. zoysii can survive in temperatures as low as −35 to −40 °C (−31 to −40 °F). Garden pests include slugs and snails.

The plant tends to grow low, reaching anywhere from 5 to 7 cm (2 to 3 in) in height, though some plants may grow as tall as 23 cm (9 in). Tufts (or "cushions") of the plant tend to creep outward as it grows. Seedlings require two years to grow to flower.

The species is unique among its genus of bellflowers. The mouth of C. zoysii's bell-shaped flower narrows, ending in a five-pointed star, while the flowers of other Campanula species are likewise bell-shaped, but open. (The "pinched" shape of these flowers nonetheless manages to allow insects inside for pollination.) The flowers are arranged one to three for each stem. The plant's pale sky blue- to lavender-colored flowers bloom in June over a three- to four-week period.

Leaves are crowded at the root, stalked, and blunt; stem leaves are , lance-shaped and linear.

C. zoysii is held in high regard in Slovenia. It is considered a symbol of the Slovene Alps, and was called "the true daughter of the Slovene mountains" by the renowned botanist Viktor Petkovšek (1908–1994). It is the symbol of the oldest (and the only one in the natural environment) alpine garden in Slovenia, Alpinum Juliana, established in 1926.

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Wikipedia