Bonnet Bellflower is a perennial twining vine from Asia that brings late-summer color to the garden with nodding, bell-shaped flowers in pale bluish-purple with violet spotting inside. Growing 10 to 15 feet tall in a single season before dying back each winter, this hardy vine thrives in zones 6 through 8 and tolerates both full sun and partial shade. The most intriguing detail: its roots have been used in Korean cooking for centuries, making it a plant with genuine cultural roots and culinary history. Evergreen foliage and easy care make it rewarding for gardeners seeking something beyond the typical climbing ornamental.
Partial Sun
Moderate
6-8
180in H x 72in W
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Moderate
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Those delicate, nodding bell-shaped flowers are the real showstopper, arriving in late August through September with an unusual color combination of pale bluish-purple exteriors and violet-spotted interiors that draw the eye. The vine grows vigorously to 10 to 15 feet in a single season, yet it's refreshingly low-maintenance, requiring no staking or fussy pruning once established. Its Asian heritage ties it to Korean culinary traditions where the roots hold genuine importance, adding a layer of cultural meaning you won't find in most ornamental vines.
The roots of Bonnet Bellflower are used in Korean cooking, serving as a culinary ingredient with traditional significance. Beyond its edible roots, the plant functions as an ornamental vine, valued for its showy late-summer flowers and vigorous growth habit on trellises, arbors, and structures where its twining stem can climb freely.
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Harvest roots in fall after the vine has died back to the ground, or in early spring before new growth begins. Carefully dig around the base of the plant to access the roots without damaging the crown. Young, tender roots are preferred for culinary use in Korean cooking.
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“Codonopsis lanceolata is native to Asia and carries deep roots in Korean cuisine and traditional use. The roots of this vine are commonly employed in Korean cooking, suggesting a long history of cultivation and appreciation across East Asia. Its journey to Western gardens reflects the broader plant exploration of the 19th and early 20th centuries, when botanical collectors brought Asian species back to Europe and North America. This species represents the kind of practical-ornamental plant that thrived in kitchen gardens and scholarly collections alike.”