East facing, north facing, south facing, west facing
Soil
Clay / Heavy / Moist / Well Drained / Light / Sandy
Native to the moist woodlands and mountain meadows of north-eastern Europe, alpine bells, Cortusa matthioli, is a pretty dwarf relative of the primula. It bears clumps of scallop-edged leaves from which delicate stems of purple bell-like flowers appear in early spring.
Alpine bells can be grown from seed: sow in winter or early spring on the surface of moist compost and cover with a very thin layer of sand. Seedlings may take months to appear – if at first they don't germinate, pop the seed tray in the fridge for a few weeks to help break the dormancy. Transplant into individual pots when seedlings are large enough to handle, and then to their final positions after all risk of frost has passed.
For best results grow in moist but well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter, in shade. If grown in the right conditions, plants should self-seed readily.
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Plant calendar
Jan
Feb
Mar
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Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
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Dec
Sow
yes
Plant
yes
yes
Flowers
yes
yes
yes
Divide
yes
yes
yes
Cortusa and wildlife
Cortusa has no particular known value to wildlife in the UK.
