Canarina canariensis - the Canary Island Bellflower - is a beautiful, rare Campanula relative that you won't find at your local plant nursery. It comes from the cool cloud forests of the Canary Islands, off the coast of Morocco. Its glossy, orangey-red blossoms appear throughout winter on this tuberous, perennial species. This is a hard-to-find plant, and mature tubers are rarely available.

Canarina canariensis forms a big cluster of parsnip-shaped tubers that are about 2-3" long. These help the plant survive during the dry summer dormant period. In late-summer, long, scrambling shoots appear, with arrow-shaped, jagged-edged leaves. The 5 to 9 foot long shoots meander through other plants or along the ground. The beautiful, bell-shaped flowers appear in late fall or winter. The 2" blooms have darker veins that give them a pinstriped look. They are followed by edible, sweet fruit! The foliage then dies down to the tubers in the spring, until growth resumes in the fall.

The Canary Island Bellflower comes from a cool climate and is happiest between 45 and 70°F (7-21°C). I don't recommend this plant for areas that regularly get above 75-80 degrees (24-27°C) from October through March (in the Southern hemisphere, April to September), especially if nights are warm. The plant needs protection from all frost, since freezing temperatures may kill the foliage. During the summer dormant period, the soil should be kept dry, although not bone-dry. The plant grows well in a 3 to 5 gallon container. You may let the shoots trail along the ground, scramble through bushes, or tie them up to a trellis or fence. They prefer filtered sunlight, or morning sun + afternoon shade. Give the plant moist, well-draining soil, such as potting soil with 30% sand or perlite added. Over about 40% humidity is recommended. In the right conditions, it is an easy, care-free plant.

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Flower photos by Wouter Hagens and Kai Becker