Cultivating some Campanula L. species and determination of ornamental plant characteristics

The Campanula L. genus generally encompasses 420 types of annual, biennial and perennial taxa distributed in temperate and subtropical regions of the northern hemisphere. In Turkey the Eastern Mediterranean region is accepted as a differentiation region for Campanula taxa and 125 species (135 taxa), nearly half of the endemic species of the genus, grow in our country. With this study some Campanula taxa (C. alliariifolia, C. betulifolia, C. glomerata L. subsp. hispida, C. lactiflora, C. latifolia) with ornamental plant potential and natural distribution in the flora of Turkey were cultivated with the aim of determining cultivation techniques and ornamental plant characteristics. Among pre-treatment groups for seed reproduction studies, the waiting application in GA3 solution came to prominence. For the C. betulifolia taxon GA3 solution was combined with cold stratification, while for other taxa direct use was determined to provide more early and higher rates of germination. Light was effective on germination rate for the C. lactiflora taxon, while light linked to temperature was effective for C. glomerata L. subsp. hispida taxon. Temperature was effective for C. alliariifolia, C. lactiflora and C. latifolia taxa, while it was effective linked to lighting situation for C. glomerata L. subsp. hispida taxon. Seeds from the taxa were sowed under unheated greenhouse conditions in 5 different periods of October, November, December, February and March and emergence characteristics were determined. To identify appropriate growth conditions, the plant development and ornamental plant properties were investigated under four different growth conditions (open area, 35% shade, 75% shade, unheated greenhouse). Better performance was displayed by C. glomerata L. subsp. hispida and C. lactiflora taxa in unheated greenhouse conditions and for C. alliariifolia and C. latifolia taxa in unheated greenhouse and open areas, while the C. betulifolia taxon showed no difference depending on growth conditions. Under cultivation conditions, the mix containing higher organic material content provided better plant development and ornamental plant properties. Additionally plants from all taxa obtained from flora were determined to have very high ability to adapt to cultivation conditions.