Harebell

Appearance

Basal leaves are rounded to heart-shaped, usually slightly toothed, with prominent hydathodes, and often wither early. Leaves on flowering stems are long and thin and the upper ones are unstemmed.

Flowers have five violet-blue, pink, or white petals fused together into a bell shape, about 15 mm long and five long, pointed green sepals behind them. The petal lobes are triangular and curve outwards. They bloom on long thin stems either singly or in loose clusters from late spring to autumn. The flowers are pollinated by bees, but can self-pollinate.

The seeds are produced in a capsule about 3–4 mm diameter. The seeds are released by pores at the base of the capsule. Seedlings are minute, but established plants can compete with tall grass.

Like other Campanulas, all parts of the plant exude white latex when injured or broken.

Habitat

Harebells are native to dry, nutrient-poor grassland and heaths in Britain, northern Europe, and North America. The plant often successfully colonises cracks in walls or cliff faces and dunes.

Cultural

The Harebell is dedicated to Saint Dominic.

In 2002 Plantlife named it the county flower of Yorkshire in the United Kingdom.

William Shakespeare makes a reference to 'the azured hare-bell' in Cymbeline

⟶ ''With fairest flowers,
⟶ ''Whilst summer lasts, and I live here, Fidele,
⟶ ''I'll sweeten thy sad grave: thou shalt not lack
⟶ ''The flower that's like thy face, pale primrose, nor
⟶ ''The azured hare-bell, like thy veins; no, nor
⟶ ''The leaf of eglantine, whom not to slander,
⟶ ''Out-sweeten’d not thy breath.''

John Clare draws attention to the brightness of the flowers of the Harebell in the dark of the wood.

⟶ ''By the hare-bell 's hazure sky,
⟶ 
⟶ That grows in woods, and groves so fair,
⟶ Where love I'd meet thee there.''

Christina Rossetti wrote a poem entitled 'Hope is Like A Harebell'

⟶ ''Hope is like a harebell, trembling from its birth,
⟶ Love is like a rose, the joy of all the earth,
⟶ Faith is like a lily, lifted high and white,
⟶ Love is like a lovely rose, the world’s delight.
⟶ Harebells and sweet lilies show a thornless growth,
⟶ But the rose with all its thorns excels them both.''

Emily Dickinson uses the harebell as an anology for desire that grows cold once that which is cherished is attained.

⟶ ''Did the Harebell loose her girdle
⟶ To the lover Bee
⟶ Would the Bee the Harebell hallow
⟶ Much as formerly?

⟶ Did the ''paradise'' - persuaded
⟶ Yield her moat of pearl
⟶ Would the Eden be an Eden
⟶ Or the Earl -an Earl''