sterile; thus deadheading is not
required to prolong bloom, although
you may want to remove spent flower
stalks for the sake of appearance.
Clean up as needed in the spring.
other maintenance A well-
behaved clump former, ‘Sarastro’
requires minimal attention. Often
produces a second flush of flowers in
well-nourished soil. Unlike many
other bellflowers, it tolerates muggy,
hot summers.
related plantS Campanula ‘Pink
Octopus’, a cross between C. punctata
and C. takesimana, is similarly heat
tolerant and reaches 15 in. in bloom,
with a spread of 18 in. It produces
masses of unusual, pendulous,
narrow-petaled pink flowers, hence
the cultivar name. Hardy in zones 5–9.
Centaurea montana
mountain bluet
compoSitae
Fringed blue flowers; green leaves
1–2 ft. high; 1 ft. wide
Full sun or part shade
Blooms May–July
Zones 3–8
pruning Depending on the condi-
tions (or I think even the disposition of
the plant), repeat bloom can beachieved simply by deadheading to
lateral buds. Once all flowering is
finished cut the old flowering stalks to
the ground, leaving the fresh basal
foliage. Plants are likely to rebloom in
late summer. Older (or moody) plants,
or plants growing in rich soil or overly
shady conditions, usually become
floppy and weedy after the first
flowering. Cut entire plant back by
two-thirds immediately after flower-
ing for potential rebloom and a more
compact habit. Deadheading or
cutting back should be performed
before seeds mature to prevent
excessive seeding. If plants are cut
back during the season, the low basal(left) Campanula ‘Pink Octopus’(right) Campanula ‘Sarastro’Centaurea montana