Ontario Native
Tall Bellflower
Campanulastrum americanum
Flower colour
Light blue to violet
Bloom time
Mid to late summer
Height
24–72"
Light
Full to part shade. It can tolerate full sun only in cooler climates if the soil remains constantly damp
Moisture
Moist to medium wet. It thrives in rich, organic, well-draining soils that do not dry out completely.
Native to Ontario
Yes
Ecological benefit
Excellent nectar source for native bees, especially long-tongued bees. It is a vital food source for the bellflower resin bee (Megachile campanulae). This oligolectic, long-tongued bee exclusively visits plants within the Campanula genus to harvest pollen.
Notes
Prefers woodland edges, open forests (especially maple), moist edges near streams, lightly disturbed woodland openings. Spotty distribution across eastern Ontario so may be locally rare in places. The plant relies heavily on insect visitors for reproduction. It utilizes a complex mechanical strategy where its pollen matures and sheds before its curved, S-shaped stigma becomes receptive, ensuring genetic diversity through mandatory insect cross-pollination.