Creeping Bell Flower – Campanula rapunculoides

One of the most robust urban plants to emerge during the Alberta spring is creeping bell flower, Campanula rapunculoides. This perennial was introduced from Europe and spreads rapidly with its creeping rhizome. This growth pattern can make it nearly impossible to get rid of, even a small piece of root can regenerate a new plant. In Alberta this plant is listed as a noxious weed, but governments are far from getting a handle on it as almost every city yard seems to house this plant. It produces beautiful purple flowers, and many people inadvertently keep it as an accidental ornamental.

The subject of what constitutes a weed and how to deal appropriately with land disturbance are controversial topics. I certainly do not believe spraying every corner with herbicides is the answer, nor does it address any of the root problems that cause changes in species distribution, namely disturbance of wild land from urbanization, agricultural practices and industrial practices. Whether you agree with eradicating weeds or not, all parties can benefit from changing our attitudes towards local abundant plants, weeds or otherwise. The creeping bell flower may be a pest to the eyes of some, but in my eyes it is a boon. The whole plant is edible particularly at this time of the year (spring). I frequently eat the young leaves, although I’ve heard great reports on the tasty thick rhizome it produces.

How to identify creeping bell flower:

• Look for triangular-shaped hairy leaves emerging from the ground
• Plucking larger leaves will produce a milky-white juice that emerges from the stem
• Later in the season bright purple flowers will appear

East Asian Inspired Greens Recipe
Thank you to Rita for the inspiration for this recipe.

1. Heat water in a pot to a simmering boil.
2. Submerge 5 cups of clean bell flower leaves into hot water.
3. Cook leaves for 2-5 minutes.
4. Strain out leaves in a colander, allow to stand for a few minutes to strain out excess water.
5. Mix in white wine vinegar or lemon juice (1 tbsp), tamari or soya sauce (1 tbsp), sesame oil (1/2 tsp), a fresh minced garlic (2-4 cloves)
6. Eat and enjoy!

Eating root and rhizome update
Since writing this article I have had the opportunity to explore eating the large fleshy tap roots. I did not bother to prepare and consume the rhizome because it was thinner and did not seem worth the effort. To clarify tap roots are large fleshy roots that grow vertically in the ground (think carrot), while rhizomes are actually modified stems that grow horizontally in the ground (think ginger). Rhizomes are an adaptive feature often seen in more aggressive plant species, because they are able to reproduce themselves effectively without seed.

I made a stir fry by chopping up the roots. I found the outer skin of the root to be a bit tough, although certainly not unpalatable. In future recipes I would dice the roots rather than coarsely chop to make the contrast in texture between the skin and the flesh less noticeable. The flavour and texture is similar to soft potato, so making a purée is something I would like to try in the future.

What recipes have you tried? I would love to hear about them!