Bloomipedia
Tall bellflower (Campanulastrum americanum)
Photo: Clay Gibbons via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Tall bellflower

Campanulastrum americanum

Tall bellflower (Campanulastrum americanum) is a flowering plant in the Campanulaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly July–August across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Tall bellflower is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 12 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in July–August.

28states where USDA records it
12Bloomipedia state lists include it
25,080U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Tennessee, West Virginia, Wisconsin

Quick look

Campanula americana, the American bellflower, or tall bellflower, is an herbaceous wildflower and a member of the Campanulaceae family. Common binomial synonyms are Campanulastrum americana and Campanulastrum americanum. American bellflowers are native to the Eastern United States and Canada, often found growing along stream banks and woods. They bloom in the summer months with light blue to purple flowers.

  • It belongs to the Campanulaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a annual life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 28 states. USDA PLANTS
  • In Illinois, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in July–August. iNaturalist
  • In Ohio, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in July–September. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as blue. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as summer. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 6 ft. USDA PLANTS
  • iNaturalist has 5,082 research-grade sightings of it in Illinois, ranking #18 among the 180 flowers on our Illinois list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,631 research-grade sightings of it in Ohio, ranking #68 among the 186 flowers on our Ohio list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,336 research-grade sightings of it in Missouri, ranking #12 among the 177 flowers on our Missouri list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (3,274 records)
Bloom time in the 12 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
IllinoisNativeJuly–August5,082
OhioNativeJuly–September2,631
MissouriNativeJuly–August2,336
IndianaNativeJuly–August2,124
MinnesotaNativeJuly–September1,707
WisconsinNativeJuly–August1,684
IowaNativeJuly–August1,526
TennesseeNativeJune–October1,259
KentuckyNativeJune–August962
KansasNativeJune–August590
NebraskaNativefew records (32)409
West VirginiaNativefew records (37)397

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
State rare plant lists
Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 9 of our 12 states.
See each state
Illinois
Not listed Not on Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1050), per the Endangered Species Protection Board's 2025 checklist. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Illinois. IL E&T checklist 2025
Ohio
Not listed Not on Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Ohio. OAC 1501:18-1-03
Missouri
Not listed Not on Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Missouri. 3 CSR 10-4.111
Minnesota
Not listed Not on Minnesota endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Minn. R. 6134.0300). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Minnesota. Minn. R. 6134.0300
Wisconsin
Not listed Not on Wisconsin endangered and threatened species list (Wis. Admin. Code NR 27.03). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Wisconsin. NR 27.03
Iowa
Not listed Not on Iowa endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Iowa Admin. Code r. 571-77.3). NatureServe: S5, secure in Iowa. IAC 571-77.3
Tennessee
Not listed Not on Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Tennessee. TN rule 0400-06-02-.04
Kentucky
Not listed Not on Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026). NatureServe: S5, secure in Kentucky. 400 KAR 3:040
Nebraska
Not listed Not on Nebraska threatened and endangered species (163 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 4, § 004). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Nebraska. 163 NAC 4-004
Indiana
No list Indiana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the DNR keeps a rare plant list, but it isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Indiana ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in Indiana.
Kansas
No list Kansas's endangered and threatened list (K.A.R. 115-15-1) covers animals only, so we show NatureServe's Kansas ranks for plants. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Kansas.
West Virginia
No list West Virginia has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (only federally listed species are protected), so we show NatureServe's West Virginia ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in West Virginia.
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: LA (S1), NY (S1), SC (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records tall bellflower in 28 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin.

Illinois counties with USDA records: Adams, Alexander, Bond, Boone, Bureau, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Clay, Coles, Cook, Crawford, Cumberland, DeKalb, Douglas, DuPage, Edgar, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Franklin, Fulton, Gallatin, Greene, Grundy, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Henderson, Henry, Iroquois, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jersey, Jo Daviess, Johnson, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, LaSalle, Lake, Lawrence, Lee, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Marion, Marshall, Mason, Massac, McDonough, McHenry, McLean, Menard, Mercer, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Ogle, Peoria, Perry, Piatt, Pike, Pope, Putnam, Randolph, Richland, Rock Island, Saline, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, St. Clair, Stark, Stephenson, Tazewell, Union, Vermilion, Wabash, Warren, Wayne, White, Whiteside, Will, Williamson, Winnebago, Woodford.

Ohio counties with USDA records: Adams, Ashland, Ashtabula, Athens, Auglaize, Belmont, Brown, Butler, Carroll, Champaign, Clark, Clermont, Clinton, Columbiana, Coshocton, Crawford, Cuyahoga, Darke, Defiance, Delaware, Erie, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton, Gallia, Geauga, Greene, Guernsey, Hamilton, Hancock, Harrison, Henry, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Huron, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Lake, Lawrence, Licking, Logan, Lorain, Lucas, Mahoning, Marion, Medina, Meigs, Mercer, Miami, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Muskingum, Ottawa, Paulding, Perry, Pike, Portage, Preble, Putnam, Richland, Ross, Sandusky, Scioto, Seneca, Shelby, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Union, Van Wert, Vinton, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Wood, Wyandot.

Missouri counties with USDA records: Adair, Andrew, Atchison, Audrain, Barry, Barton, Bates, Benton, Bollinger, Boone, Buchanan, Butler, Caldwell, Callaway, Camden, Cape Girardeau, Carroll, Carter, Cass, Cedar, Chariton, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cole, Cooper, Crawford, Dade, Dallas, Daviess, DeKalb, Dent, Douglas, Dunklin, Franklin, Gasconade, Gentry, Greene, Grundy, Harrison, Henry, Hickory, Holt, Howard, Howell, Iron, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Laclede, Lafayette, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Madison, Maries, Marion, McDonald, Mercer, Miller, Moniteau, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Newton, Nodaway, Oregon, Osage, Ozark, Pemiscot, Pettis, Phelps, Pike, Platte, Polk, Pulaski, Putnam, Ralls, Randolph, Ray, Reynolds, Ripley, Saline, Schuyler, Scotland, Scott, Shannon, Shelby, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. Francois, St. Louis, Ste. Genevieve, Stoddard, Stone, Sullivan, Taney, Texas, Vernon, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Worth, Wright.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Tall bellflower a low shade tolerance, low drought tolerance and medium moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 5.5 to 7.5 and winter lows down to 52 °F.

Shade tolerance
Low
Drought tolerance
Low
Moisture use
Medium
Soil textures it is adapted to
coarse, medium, fine
Soil pH range
5.5 to 7.5
Minimum temperature tolerated
52 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum)
160
Annual precipitation range
30 to 60 inches
Minimum root depth
8 inches
Salinity tolerance
None
Fertility requirement
Medium
Growth rate
Rapid
Active growth period
Spring, Summer, Fall
Fruit or seed
Brown · Summer to Fall
Can be propagated by
container, seed
Commercial availability
Contracting Only

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for CAAM18. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Campanula americana.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 917 counties across 27 states; the most are in Missouri (111), Illinois (96), Indiana (83).

More from the Campanulaceae family (8 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Cardinal flower, Great blue lobelia, Indian tobacco, Clasping Venus's looking glass, Creeping bellflower, Western harebell, Downy lobelia, Mountain harebell.

More Illinois flowers

Great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)

Great blue lobelia

Lobelia siphilitica

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🌼 Blooms in IL: August–September
Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)

Cardinal flower

Lobelia cardinalis

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🌼 Blooms in IL: July–September
Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

Common milkweed

Asclepias syriaca

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🌼 Blooms in IL: June–July

Sources