Tall Bellflower (Campanulastrum americana)
Campanulastrum ah-mer-ih-KAY-nah

Deciduous Biennial Upright in the Campanulaceae Family
A stately, late-summer blooming perennial native to eastern and central North America. Its tall, branching flower spikes bear an abundance of showy, flat-shaped blue-violet flowers that attract a variety of pollinators.

Campanulastrum americana (Tall Bellflower) is an erect, mostly unbranched biennial (occasionally behaving as an annual) native to rich, moist woodlands of eastern and central North America, including most of Illinois. A basal rosette forms the first year, sending up a tall flowering stalk the second season that bears numerous flat, star-shaped, violet-blue flowers with white centers in the leaf axils and at the stem tips from midsummer into early fall. Long-tongued bees are the primary pollinators, along with butterflies, skippers, and syrphid flies.

Pros

  • Tall, showy spikes of violet-blue flowers over a long midsummer-to-fall bloom
  • Thrives in shaded sites where few other tall-blooming natives perform well
  • Attracts long-tongued bees, butterflies, and other pollinators
  • Self-seeds readily, maintaining a presence in the garden year after year

Cons

  • Biennial life cycle: no flowers the first year, and individual plants die after flowering
  • Deer occasionally browse the flowers and foliage
  • Can self-seed more than desired in ideal conditions
Why Like A native eastern North American wildflower found in rich, moist woodlands and along woodland borders and paths; its tall spikes of violet-blue, star-shaped flowers are a striking late-summer presence in shaded gardens and attract long-tongued bees, butterflies, and syrphid flies.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 3 - 4 feet tall. 18 - 24 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium : Prefers consistently moist to medium-wet soil.
Zones 3a - 8b (Usually hardy to -40° F)
Tags Attracts Bees, Attracts Hummingbirds, Biennial, Container, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Edging, Extended Bloom Time, Fast Growth Rate, For a Shady Spot, Full Sun, Good for Accents, Good for Beginners, Good for Borders, Good for Cottage Garden, Good for Cut Flowers, Good for Mass Planting, Good for Rock Garden, Illinois Native, Medium, Native to North America, Non-Allergenic, Normal Soil, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Rabbit Resistant, Showy Flowers, Tolerant of Clay Soil, Tolerant of Moist Soil, Well-Drained Soil, Woodland Garden
Bloom Period July to September
Flower Color Violet-Blue
Foliage Color Green
 

In The News
 

More Info from Experts

Commonly Planted with...

Solidago, Eurybia, Carex, ferns.
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/13 - 09/06
2024 : 05/01 - 08/03
2023 : 05/04 - 08/05

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

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