Campanula, Tall Bellflower

Tall Bellflower (Campanula americana)

Tall Bellflower is a striking native biennial or short-lived perennial wildflower that brings a vertical accent and soft violet-blue color to shaded gardens, woodland edges, and moist meadows. Not a true bell-shaped flower like some Campanula species, Campanula americana produces star-shaped blooms arranged along tall central stems that can reach 4–6 feet. It blooms in mid to late summer, supporting native pollinators when other woodland species have finished flowering.

Key Characteristics

• Important Late-Season Pollinator Resource
  Tall Bellflower blooms from July through September, offering a critical nectar source during the summer pollinator gap. It attracts long-tongued native bees and is especially beneficial to bumblebees (Bombus spp.) and green sweat bees (Agapostemon spp.).
• A Unique Star-Shaped Native Campanula
  Unlike typical bellflowers, the blossoms of C. americana are open and star-like, creating a distinctive wild aesthetic that softens shady or woodland garden designs. The pale lavender to blue flowers grow along tall, slender spikes, giving the plant a graceful, airy appearance.
• Thrives in Moist Woodland Settings
  This plant prefers medium to medium-wet soils with partial shade—ideal for woodland gardens, native plantings, or moist areas near streams. It naturalizes well in dappled light and can reseed under the right conditions, forming beautiful colonies over time.
• Ecological Value Beyond Pollinators
  In addition to supporting native bees, the plant also provides habitat and foraging resources for beneficial insects and other small woodland creatures. Its tall, open structure contributes to vertical layering in forest edge ecosystems.
• Ideal for Naturalizing and Layered Plantings
  Tall Bellflower is perfect for succession planting with other woodland wildflowers. It works well in the herbaceous layer of forest gardens and can be combined with ferns, sedges, and spring ephemerals for a long-season, layered woodland palette.

Product Details

• Native range: Eastern and Central U.S., especially Midwest and Southeast
• Plant life cycle: Biennial or short-lived perennial
• Sun requirements: Part shade to light shade
• Soil requirements: Medium to medium-wet, rich soils
• Mature height: 4–6 feet
• Bloom time: July–September
• Bloom color: Lavender-blue to violet
• USDA Hardiness zones: 4–8

Tall Bellflower is a beautiful and ecologically valuable plant for moist, semi-shaded gardens. Its elegant height, late bloom time, and pollinator-friendly flowers make it an essential addition to layered native plantings and woodland restoration projects.