Campanula Species, Tall Bellflower

Tall is the operative word for Campanula americana. In my garden, it can easily top 7 feet in height in more sunny conditions. It is a ra...Read Morether lanky, but attractive plant with abundant blue flowers that last for quite a few weeks. The major pollinators appear to mostly be small hover flies. I don't see bees/bumblebees visiting the flowers, but the hover flies are in great abundance and are fun to watch.

An easy way to identify this plant, when not in bloom, is by its milky sap. (I don't know why this isn't mentioned more often?)

The only negative thing about Campanula americana is that it is prone to flopping, especially in less sunny spots. In these situations (such as bright shade) it will still flower but needs the support of surrounding plants or needs to be staked.

Campanula americana is a biennial and is easy to miss in the first year, only growing a couple of feet tall. It blooms the second year and should reseed in the garden. This is one of those native plants that seems to do just fine by directly-sowing in the fall and letting nature do the cold stratification for you.

This one acts as a biennial for me here in Zone 3/4 (central British Columbia). Makes a rosette the first year, then blooms itself to dea...Read Moreth the second year. I collect seed to re-sow. There are sometimes a few self sown seedlings. Very pretty flowers when examined close up, but too small for much garden impact. Nice in a mixed planting. Reasonably long bloom time. I like it.

Started from seed thrown out in Fall, came up the following spring, it is in part shade and doing well for the past two years, the shady ...Read Moreside patch is being moved to the fence since the seed washed forward with rain. beautiful, looks good with cardinal flower and white salvia.
my plant off the patio came back in same location, but it was probably from seed. I have that area tagged, and it is about a foot away from where it was last year. Will see if annual or perennial next spring if the ones I move this fall come back in exact location.

Really attractive sparkly blue star flower for shady spots. Does better with moist soil.

To kneff: I strongly suspect th...Read Moree plant you are complaining about eradicating is not the native species, but a similar Eurasian bellflower (Campanula rapunculoides). C. Americana spreads readily from seed, but not runners, while C. rapuculoides is notorious for spreading into surrounding space, including sunny, drier spots that the native doesn't do well in. Rapunculoides' flower is more bell shaped, while americana is more open star shape. So, be sure you aren't damning the wrong plant. It would be a shame if someone passed up this truly beautiful, well-behaved native wildflower on the basis of your mistaking the invasive introduced plant with the native.