Tall Bellflower is a striking annual or biennial that brings wild elegance to shaded garden corners and woodland edges. Often classified as Campanulastrum americanum, its 1-inch, star-shaped blue to lavender flowers are flat and outward-facing, arranged in stately spikes that can reach impressive heights of 3 to 6 feet. Blooming from June into August (and sometimes later), it provides a reliable splash of color when many other woodland plants have finished. Native to moist woods and streambanks across eastern North America, it thrives in partial shade and rich, moist, well-drained soil. The nectar-rich blossoms are a favorite of hummingbirds and long-tongued bees, especially bumblebees. Depending on when it germinates, it may act as an annual or a biennial. It readily self-seeds in favorable conditions, ensuring a continuous and spectacular presence in your native woodland or savanna planting.

Quick facts

• Height: 3–6 ft
• Sun: Partial to Shade
• Soil moisture: Medium-Wet to Medium-Dry
• Bloom time: Jul–Oct (Blue)
• Life cycle: Biennial
• Notes: Biennial
• Native range: Native to 28 states, including Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska

See the full growing guide and county range map for Tall Bellflower