code: 685
This plant is also widespread across Europe from the Pyrenees to the Balkans
Family: Campanulaceae
Common name: Round-headed Rampion
Plant Classification: Hardy perennial
Minimum Height: 20 cm
Maximum Height: 30 cm
From an overwintering rosette, thin stems arise in spring bearing fascinating flowerheads composed of tubular petals, curved upwards into ‘claws’ and of the deepest inky blue. The “Round-headed Rampion” is known colloquially in the county of Sussex, England as the pride of Sussex and is also the County flower of Sussex. This plant is also widespread across Europe from the Pyrenees to the Balkans.
Sowing advice:
Seeds can be sown at any time but are best sown in winter or early spring to benefit from a cold spell in the wet compost to break their dormancy. We advise covering seeds very thinly with sand or fine grit to about the depth of the seed size. If the seeds do not come up within 6 to 12 weeks the damp seed tray can be given cold treatment in a fridge for about four weeks. They may still take very many months to appear, so please never discard the pot or tray.
Ecology:
A perennial herb of species-rich chalk grassland, open scrub, earthworks and verges. It is tolerant of grazing, and seems to prefer grazed areas, but also grows in neighbouring ungrazed grassland. Propagation is mostly by seed but it also spreads by stoloniferous growth. Lowland.
Trends:
This species was last recorded before 1930 in most of the squares for which there is no recent record. Its 10-km square distribution now appears to be stable, although some sites have been lost through ploughing of chalk grassland or its agricultural improvement.
