Confusingly, in Scotland this flower is called Bluebell. It grows in short grasslands and other dry grassy places, old sand dunes, cliffs and other rocky places, both on acid and limy soils, preferring neither.

Easily confused with : Peach-leaved Bellflower, but Harebell has long linear leaves like those of Purple Toadflax whereas Peach-leaved Bellflower has very shorter wider. Also, the open end of the bell is much wider on Peach-leaved Bellflower more like that of a loudspeaker cone than a tuba. Also, the stigma splits into three much deeper into the bell than it does in Harebell where the stigma splits into three much nearer the end.

No relation to : Hare's-Foot Clover () which is a member of the Pea Family (Fabaceae) nor to Hare's-Tail CottonGrass (Eriophorum vaginatum), Slender Hare's-ear (Bupleurum tenuissimum), Sickle Hare's-ear (Bupleurum falcatum), Small Hare's-ear (Bupleurum baldense), Hare's-foot Sedge (Carex lachenalli or Hare's-tail (Lagarus ovatus which are all in disparate families.

There are several subspecies recognised, and some that may yet to be resolved. ssp. rotundifolia and ssp. montana which occupies mostly upland areas. The photographs above may represent any number of these subspecies.

Harebell is almost ubiquitous, occupying every part of Britain avoiding only parts of Devon & Cornwall, the far North of Scotland and the Middle Level Navigations and Fens.

As with most Campanula the stems ooze a milky-white latex when broken, believed to be mostly harmless.

Harebell is the County Flower of Antrim, Dumfriesshire and Yorkshire.