Campanula piperi (Olympic bellflower,[1] [2] Olympic harebell,[3] Piper's bellflower) is a species of flowering plant in the bellflower family, Campanulaceae. It is native to the Olympic Mountains on the Olympic Peninsula in the U.S. state of Washington.[3] It has also been noted on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.[2]
This species is a perennial herb with stems up to 10 centimeters tall. It is hairless or with fine, rough hairs. The basal leaves are sharply toothed, widely lance-shaped blades up to 3 centimeters long. Leaves higher on the stem are similar and are alternately arranged. Flowers occur in July and August at the stem tips. Each has five toothed sepals and a saucer-shaped blue corolla with 5 lobes about 1.2 to 1.6 centimeters long.[2] White flowers are known to occur at times.[4]
This plant grows in rocky, high-elevation habitat.[2] [3] It faced the potential threat of trampling by mountain goats, an introduced species in the range, but now extirpated.[3]
This species is cultivated in alpine plant gardens.[3] A number of cultivars have been bred.[4]
The species name commemorates the botanist Charles Piper.[4]