Campanula Flower Meanings and History You Need to Know

Campanula is a flower whose season is early summer. It is a plant that blooms in cool colors such as blue and purple.
It is a classic gardening flower, but its popularity as a cut flower has also increased in recent years.
This time, we will explain about Campanula flowers. We will delve into everything from flower meanings to history, so please use it as a reference for choosing gifts!

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What kind of flower is Campanula?

Campanula is a plant with charming bell-shaped flowers, available from around June to July. Its season is from early summer to summer.
It is characterized by its translucent petals and is one of the representative flowers of summer. Since it has cool colors, you can enjoy a refreshing atmosphere when you decorate your room with it.
It was popular in gardening in the early Heisei period, but recently a revival trend has begun, and it is now often used in flower gifts such as bouquets and flower arrangements.
It's a stylish and lovely flower, so please try decorating with it.

What is the origin of the name Campanula?

Campanula is characterized by its downward-facing, "bell-shaped" flowers. The Latin word for "bell" is "campana," but
in Latin, when "ula" is added to the end, it means "small," so "Campanula" means "little bell."
In English, it is called "Bellflower," which also derives from its bell shape.
In Japan, Campanula was formerly called "Furinso" (wind chimes flower) because it resembled wind chimes.
It's interesting that similar names are given to it in different countries.

List of Campanula Flower Meanings

The flower meanings of Campanula are "gratitude," "sincere love," "sympathy," "fidelity," and "declaration of feelings." All of these are positive words.
From the refreshing colors of its petals and its upward growth, the flower meaning "sincere love" is attributed to it. It's perfect for a wedding anniversary gift.
Also, Campanula flowers are bell-shaped. In Europe, bells symbolize churches, evoking Christian teachings.
From this, the flower meanings "gratitude" and "fidelity" are associated with it.

Purple Campanula Flower Meanings

The flower meanings of purple campanula are "great ambition" and "hope." These flower meanings convey a strong, upward-reaching image.
This flower meaning is derived from Greek mythology. A spirit named Campanule guarded golden apples, but she was killed by a wicked soldier who sneaked into the orchard to steal the apples.
Flora, the goddess of flowers, saddened by the spirit's death, transformed her into a bell-shaped flower to commemorate her passing.
It is believed that the flower meaning "hope" was given because even though she died, she was able to continue living as a flower.

White Campanula Flower Meanings

The flower meanings of white Campanula are "gratitude" and "sincerity." This is derived from its white color and bell-like flower shape.
As mentioned earlier, the bell is considered a motif symbolizing the church, linking it to Christian teachings.
Additionally, the pure white and translucent beauty of Campanula's white color has led to straightforward flower meanings such as "gratitude" and "sincerity."

Pink Campanula Flower Meaning

The flower meaning of pink Campanula is "immutability." This is believed to be derived from the aforementioned Greek myth,
where it is thought that even though the deceased spirit transformed into a Campanula flower, an immutable life existed there.
While Campanula is often associated with cool colors like blue and purple, pink Campanula, with its gentle hues, has recently gained popularity.
When included in bouquets or flower arrangements, it creates a lovely and elegant look.

What is the history of Campanula?

Campanula is a flower that has been cherished by people since ancient times. Its history as a plant is extremely old; research on fossils and genes suggests that an ancestor of Campanula already existed approximately 30 million years ago.
Currently, over 500 species of Campanula have been identified, primarily inhabiting the Northern Hemisphere, including Europe, Asia, and North America, adapting to various environments. Here, we will unravel the history of Campanula. Please use this as interesting trivia when giving gifts.
(Source: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew "Campanula")
(Reference: Roquet et al. (2009). "Reconstructing the history of Campanulaceae..." )

Was Campanula originally edible?

It is known that in medieval Europe, it was cultivated as a vegetable in monastery gardens and home gardens.
The most popular species was 'Campanula rapunculus,' whose thick white roots were sweet and eaten in salads or as an ingredient in soups.
It also has a history of being used as a medicinal herb to relieve throat inflammation in ancient times, so it seems to have been a plant closely tied to daily life.
(Source: Botanical.com (A Modern Herbal by Maud Grieve))

Developed alongside European garden culture!

In the 17th century, it gained popularity as a garden plant in horticultural powerhouses like England and the Netherlands.
The variety particularly cherished was 'Campanula medium.'
In England, it was affectionately known as 'Canterbury Bells' and remains a widely loved flower today.
Subsequently, with the horticultural boom of the 19th century (Victorian era), breeding advanced, leading to the creation of unique Campanulas with double petals and cup-and-saucer shapes.
Thus, it became a popular presence in gardens across England, France, Germany, and other countries, and its charm spread worldwide.
(Source: John Gerard, The Herball or General History of Plants (1597), Chapter 116 "Of Throatwort, or Canterbury Bells".)
(Source: Royal Horticultural Society "Campanula medium")

Does Campanula also grow wild in Japan?

While Campanula is generally known as a Western flower, species of the genus Campanula actually grow wild in Japan.
Among them, the most representative is the 'Hotarubukuro' (firefly bag flower), distributed across Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. It is said that this beautiful name was given because its size was just right for putting fireflies inside and making them glow (there are several theories).
Hotarubukuro appears in haiku from the Edo period as a summer kigo (season word), and has been cherished as part of Japan's original landscape since ancient times. In addition, the 'Yatsushiroso' flower is also a member of the Campanula family, growing in clusters in the mountains of Japan.
(Source: Campanula punctata Lam. | Plants of the World Online)

European Campanula arrived in the Meiji era

It is said that Campanula as a Western flower truly arrived in Japan around the Meiji era. Many Western plants were introduced with the civilization and enlightenment, and Campanula is believed to be one of them.

Because its appearance resembled Japan's Hotarubukuro and its flower shape evoked wind chimes, it was given the Japanese names "Furinso" (wind chimes flower) and "Tsuriganeso" (bellflower), and began to adorn Western-style gardens.

In the Taisho era, it was recognized as a stylish garden plant, and in the early Showa era, it was sometimes used as cut flowers for ikebana arrangements. After the war, due to its hardiness and ease of cultivation, it became widely planted in flowerbeds and established itself as a flower that heralds early summer.
(Source: Yasashii Engei Plant Encyclopedia Database "Campanula medium")

Is Campanula the origin of "Rapunzel"?

The name "Rapunzel" from the Brothers Grimm fairy tale is said to be derived from "Campanula rapunculus."
Rapunzel's mother, while pregnant, ate a plant called "Rapunzel" cultivated by a witch, which led to her child being taken away.
It is highly probable that this "Rapunzel" flower was Campanula rapunculus.
At the time the Grimm fairy tale was written, Campanula was commonly eaten and sometimes grown in monasteries, so the setting is not incongruous.
Due to this history, and influenced by Disney movies, Campanula is also known as "Rapunzel's flower."

Display refreshing Campanula, in season in early summer!

Campanula is in season from early summer to summer. Its refreshing colors are perfect for summer, so a Campanula gift is recommended for those with birthdays or celebrations in June-July.
Here, we introduce recommended flower gifts by scene. Campanula is filled with wonderful flower meanings, making it easy to convey unspoken feelings through flowers.
We will also introduce recommended limited-time Campanula products available at &YOUKAEN, so please use them as a reference for choosing gifts.

For birthdays, a bouquet with Campanula

If someone important is celebrating their birthday, a voluminous bouquet that combines Campanula with other seasonal flowers and branches is a wonderful gift.
Entrust your feelings of gratitude to Campanula's flower meanings of "gratitude" and "sincere love," conveying the appreciation you can't always express.
When giving a bouquet, make sure to check if the recipient has a vase.
Also, it would be even better if you could advise them to display it in a shaded area away from direct sunlight!
It's recommended for birthdays, but also for wedding anniversaries.

Click here for bouquets containing Campanula

Sunflower Bouquet "Blue Lemonade" GR size

¥14,300-

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For your home, put Campanula in a vase

Campanula is recommended not only as a gift but also as home decor.
Since one Campanula stem has many flowers, it's lovely to display a bunch of Campanulas on their own.
Its refreshing colors will bring a cool atmosphere to your room. It also has a strong presence, so you're sure to love it.
As a florist, I recommend displaying them in a glass vase. It would be wonderful to express the seasonality with the vessel as well.

Click here for Campanula products

Seasonal Flowers 40-50cm "Campanula" Lavender 10 stems

¥4,400-

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Summary

The flower meanings of Campanula are "gratitude," "sincere love," "sympathy," "fidelity," and "declaration of feelings." There are many positive flower meanings, making it perfect for a gift!
Especially, it is recommended to give it as a birthday or wedding anniversary gift, entrusting your feelings of "gratitude" and "sincere love."
Of course, it is also recommended for your home, so please enjoy the season by decorating with Campanula flowers in early summer!

◆Revision History
December 10, 2025: Some years corrected. References and sources added.