Canary Island Bellflower Plant Care

Canary Island Bellflower (Musschia aurea) belongs to the Campanulaceae family within the Musschia genus. Canary Island Bellflower is native to the Madeira Islands, including Madeira and the Desertas.

Canary Island Bellflower displays a low rosette, clumping growth habit, reaching up to 1.5 ft tall with a spread of approximately 1 ft. Canary Island Bellflower produces tall spikes with bell-shaped flowers in shades of blue, purple, or white.

Leaf size: approximately 6 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Canary Island Bellflower every 7–10 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established shrubs mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Canary Island Bellflower thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Musschia aurea tolerates temperatures of 50–75°F. Canary Island Bellflower prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Well-draining sandy soil mix with added organic matter for moisture retention. Good drainage is essential for Canary Island Bellflower to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Canary Island Bellflower every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established shrubs in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade and well-draining sandy soil mix with added organic matter for moisture retention. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Canary Island Bellflower is suited to USDA Zone 12a.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped shrubs in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Canary Island Bellflower can spread to about 1 ft (0.3 m) and reach about 2 ft (0 m) tall. Space plants about 1 ft (0.3 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the plant spacing calculator.

Prune Canary Island Bellflower while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the shrub in one year.

Canary Island Bellflower is frost-tender (hardy to USDA zone 12). In colder areas grow it in a container and move it to a bright, frost-free place before the first frost.

Canary Island Bellflower can be propagated through seeds, division of offsets. Similar propagation techniques also apply to musschia wollastonii plant care, which shares the same genus.

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Canary Island Bellflower is susceptible to aphids, slugs, snails. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Canary Island Bellflower grows outdoors in USDA Zone 12a. It survives winters down to planting zone 12a. Canary Island Bellflower is native to the Madeira Islands, including Madeira and the Desertas. In cooler regions, grow Canary Island Bellflower as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.