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Summary

Arctic bellflower is a tiny, elegant alpine species of circumpolar regions. It is the smallest of the Campanula species treated here. Although edible, its tiny size makes it impractical as a food plant and of no foraging value. It is noteworthy botanically for surviving extreme climates and inhabiting tundra environments.

Physical Characteristics

Melanocalyx uniflora is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.1 m (0ft 4in) by 0.1 m (0ft 4in) at a slow rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 2. The flowers are pollinated by Bees, Insects.
It is noted for attracting wildlife.
Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Homotypic Synonyms: Campanula uniflora L.

Plant Habitats

Edible Uses

Leaves Taste, Processing & Kitchen Notes: Mild lettuce-like flavour, but impossible to harvest in meaningful quantity. Seasonality (Phenology): Blooms from July to August. Leaves appear shortly after snowmelt and persist only during short alpine summers, and the flowers are technically edible but extremely small and of little practical food value. Flavour is mild, similar to other Campanulas. Edibility rating is extremely low due to size [2-3]. Safety & Cautions (Food Use): Safe but insignificant as a food. Harvest & Processing Workflow: Impractical; the plant is too small. Traditional / Indigenous Use Summary: No known food use; northern peoples likely ignored it due to limited material.

References More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

None Known

References More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Alpine gardens. Ecology & Wildlife: Pollinated by tiny alpine bees and flies, especially cold-tolerant halictids and syrphids. Flowers may occasionally self-pollinate due to the short growing season.

Special Uses

References More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

A charming but tiny alpine bellflower without practical edible use. Restricted to cold alpine meadows and tundra regions. Requires very cool summers, high light, and constantly moist substrates with sharp drainage. Corresponds generally with USDA Zones 2–5, depending on snow cover. Only 4–11 cm tall. Rarely cultivated but could succeed in cold alpine rock gardens. Requires alpine conditions; very difficult outside them.

References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

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Plant Propagation

By seed only; requires cold stratification.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Arctic Bellflower (Campanula uniflora)

Native Range

US. USA. Alaska, Alberta, Aleutian Is., British Columbia, Chita, Colorado, Finland, Føroyar, Greenland, Iceland, Idaho, Kamchatka, Khabarovsk, Labrador, Magadan, Manitoba, Montana, New Mexico, North European Russia, Northwest Territories, Norway, Nunavut, Québec, Svalbard, Sweden, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, Yakutiya, Yukon

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it's worth checking.

None

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : Not available

Related Plants

Latin Name	Common Name	Habit	Height	Hardiness	Growth	Soil	Shade	Moisture	Edible	Medicinal	Other

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

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This is the third in Plants For A Future's series of plant guides for food forests tailored to specific climate zones. Following volumes on temperate and tropical ecosystems, this book focuses on species suited to Mediterranean conditionsâ€”regions with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters, often facing the added challenge of climate change.

Melanocalyx uniflora - (L.) Morin