Native Plant Database

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Campanulastrum americanum (American bellflower)
Vick, Albert F. W.

Campanulastrum americanum (L.) Small

American bellflower, American-bellflower, Tall bellflower

Campanulaceae (Bellflower Family)

Synonyms: Campanula americana

USDA Symbol: CAAM18

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

A 3-4 ft., erect plant with leafy stems. The upper portion of the stem is lined with showy, lavender-blue, five-petaled flowers. Radially symmetrical, light blue to violet flowers borne singly or in clusters in axils of upper leaves and forming an elongated, spike-like cluster.

In spite of the common name and the genus name, derived from the Latin campana (bell), the flowers of this species are usually flat, not bell-shaped as are many others in this family. Tall Bellflower was formerly included in the genus Campanula.

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Size Class: 3-6 ft.
Fruit Type: Capsule
Leaf Color: Green

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Blue , Purple
Bloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , FL , GA , IL , IN , IA , KS , KY , LA , MD , MI , MN , MS , MO , NE , NJ , NY , NC , OH , OK , PA , SC , SD , TN , VA , WV , WI
Canada: NB
Native Distribution: Southern Ont. & NY to MN, s. to GA & LA
Native Habitat: Moist woods; shady streams; thickets
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil pH: Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2)
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium
Soil Description: Rich, moist soils.
Conditions Comments: Not Available

Benefit

Use Wildlife: Hummingbirds
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Hummingbirds

Propagation

Description: Seeds germinate easily. Shallow plant the small seeds in spring for a biennial plant or fall for an annual.
Seed Collection: Not Available
Seed Treatment: No treatment necessary.
Commercially Avail: yes
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Find Seed or Plants

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

Bibliography

Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes (2002) Wasowski, S.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Campanulastrum americanum in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Campanulastrum americanum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Campanulastrum americanum

Metadata

Record Modified: 2009-02-19
Research By: TWC Staff

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