This is a genus closely related to Campanula, with the common name Ladybells, with both tall and dwarf species. They have leafy, erect stems with spikes of bell flowers, usually in shades of purple-blue.

Adenophora triphylla has erect flower stems with whorls of tubular blue flowers with very dark calyces and pedicels. The species comes from east Asia - Japan, China and the far eastern parts of Russia. Plants in cultivation at present are generally derived from a collection from Sakhalin Island.