Greek platys — wide, kodon — bell, referring to the widely open, bell-shaped flowers.

Hairless perennial herb to about 50 cm tall. Leaves whorled towards the base, alternate above, lanceolate to elliptic, toothed. Flowers solitary or in few-flowered clusters developing from balloon-like buds, broadly bell-shaped with pointed lobes, pale outside, blue, pink or white inside; summer. Fruit a capsule opening at the tip.

Grown for the starry, wide-open bell flowers from balloon-like buds.

Seed, cuttings and division.

Flowers balloon-like in bud, later widely open and bell-shaped.

1 species from China and Japan.

Source: Spencer, R. (2002). Campanulaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 4. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 3. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.