Campanula americana aka Tall Bellflower

Campanula americana has two common names: tall bellflower and American bellflower. Some sources use the name Campanulastrum americanum for it. It is part of Campanulaceae, the bellflower family. It grows in eastern and central North America. Its range spans eastern Canada and much of the eastern United States. In the wild, it grows in damp woods and meadows. It also grows on stream banks and in shaded ditches. It can live for one year as an annual. Or it can live for two years as a biennial. When its seeds sprout helps decide which course it takes.

Garden plants grow about 3–6 feet [0.91–1.83 metres] tall. They spread about 1–2 feet [0.30–0.61 metres] wide. Some accounts give a lower height of 2 feet [0.61 metres]. In year one, biennial plants form a low rosette of leaves. This is a cluster of leaves near the ground. Tall stems bear flowers in the next year. The green stems stand upright and have few branches. They hold milky sap and are hollow inside. They may have ridges or hairs at their tips. Rough green leaves grow one after another along the stem. They range from lance-shaped to narrow oval, with toothed edges. Leaves near the top grow smaller and less wide.

The flowers look like flat stars, not deep bells. Five pointed lobes sit around a pale ring at the throat. The blooms range from light blue to violet. They grow alone or in groups beside the upper leaves. These blooms form a long shape like a spike. Most sources give a bloom season of June through August. Chicago Botanic Garden gives a wider span, from May to October. Brown seed capsules, or pods, follow from August to October. Each has three chambers and many small, flat seeds. Three pores near the tip let the seeds out. Bees with long tongues do most of the work of pollination. Butterflies and skippers visit the flowers too.

Grow this plant in rich, moist soil that drains well. Part shade suits it best. In hot climates, give it shade in the afternoon. It accepts more sun where summers stay cool. Keep the soil moist through the growing season. Removing spent blooms can help it flower for longer. Sources give USDA hardiness ranges of 4–7, 4–8, and 3–8. You can grow new plants from seed. It also sows its own seeds and can last without replanting.

Use tall bellflower in damp rock gardens or woods with light shade. Groups make a stronger show of flowers than single plants. It also suits native plant gardens and meadows. It needs little care. Serious problems with pests or disease are rare. Slugs, snails, and aphids may still occur.