Carpathian bellflower vs Dalmatian bellflower

Carpathian bellflower and Dalmatian bellflower are often considered for the same spot in the garden (flowers, ground cover, container, pollinator friendly). The data below shows where they differ: size, hardiness, care, toxicity and price.

Carpathian bellflower

Campanula carpatica 25 cm × 30 cm after 10 years

Carpathian bellflower is a low, cushion-forming perennial that is covered for weeks from early summer with upward-facing blue, purple or white…

Perennial

Full sun

Part shade

from about PLN 13

Dalmatian bellflower

Campanula portenschlagiana 15 cm × 50 cm after 10 years

A low bellflower that forms a tight cushion; from late spring to midsummer its small, ivy-like leaves almost disappear under violet-blue bells. It…

Ground cover

Full sun

Part shade

from about PLN 15

Key differences

Carpathian bellflower grows taller, Dalmatian bellflower spreads wider: 25 cm × 30 cm and 15 cm × 50 cm after ten years.
Dalmatian bellflower tolerates drought better than Carpathian bellflower.
Dalmatian bellflower needs less care than Carpathian bellflower.

Which one to choose?

Dalmatian bellflower is the better choice if you cannot water regularly or you have little time for care.

Watch out for

Carpathian bellflower

Slugs and snails like to eat it, especially the fresh shoots in spring. It is short-lived: in heavy soil that stays wet in winter it dies out quickly, and without division the centre thins within a few years. In Central Europe it scorches and stops flowering in hot, dry summer weeks unless it has afternoon shade and watering. Powdery mildew and rust also occur.

Dalmatian bellflower

Slugs and snails like it and mainly chew the fresh spring shoots and the flowers. In heavy, waterlogged soil it rots off in winter, and in scorching sun without watering it can burn and die back by late summer. Where it is happy it seeds itself into wall and paving cracks; shearing it after flowering keeps it dense and reduces self-seeding.

The data side by side

Feature	Carpathian bellflower	Dalmatian bellflower
Group	Perennial	Ground cover
Size after 10 years	25 cm × 30 cm	15 cm × 50 cm
Ultimate size	10–30 cm × 10–30 cm	8–20 cm × 30–60 cm
Growth rate	Medium (uncertain)	Medium (uncertain)
Light	Full sun, Part shade	Full sun, Part shade
Soil	Average garden soil, Sandy, Calcareous	Average garden soil, Sandy, Calcareous
Hardiness	down to -40 °C (USDA 3, RHS H7)	down to -34 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Heat tolerance	Medium (uncertain)	Medium (uncertain)
Foliage	Semi-evergreen (uncertain)	Semi-evergreen (uncertain)
Flowering	May–August, blue, purple, white	May–August, purple, blue
Water need	Medium	Medium
Drought tolerance	Low	Medium
Maintenance	Medium	Low
Planting distance	30 cm	30 cm
For dogs	Non-toxic (uncertain)	Non-toxic (uncertain)
For cats	Non-toxic (uncertain)	Non-toxic (uncertain)
For children	Non-toxic (uncertain)	Non-toxic (uncertain)
Typical price	approx. PLN 13	approx. PLN 15

Prices are rounded, indicative values. Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor. Data updated: October 17, 2026

Want a more precise suggestion?

Describe the spot and what you are after in a few words, and the plant finder picks for your garden.

Open the plant finder

More comparisons

Carpathian bellflower vs Serbian bellflower Dalmatian bellflower vs Caucasian stonecrop Dalmatian bellflower vs Serbian bellflower