CAMPANULA VERSICOLOR - CLOVE-SCENTED CAMPANULA SEEDS - RARE IN SOUTH AFRICA

Campanula is one of several genera in the family Campanulaceae with the common name bellflower. It takes both its common and its scientific name from its bell-shaped flowers— campanula is Latin for "little bell". The genus includes over 500 species and several subspecies, distributed across the temperate and subtropical regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the highest diversity in the Mediterranean region east to the Caucasus. The range also extends into mountains in tropical regions of Asia and Africa.           The species include annual, biennial and perennial plants, and vary in habit from dwarf arctic and alpine species under 5 cm high, to large temperate grassland and woodland species growing to 2 metres tall. Campanula versicolor commonly known as Clove-scented Campanula is a rare and quite incredible perennial from Greece. It is a strong, statuesque plant bearing large, white-eyed blue bells, and is quite frost-hardy. It has the amazing property of being the only bellflower that is scented. On a hot day it smells of cloves! Additionally the leaves are reputed to be edible and good in salads; but be sparing.