American Bellflower

Growth habit

Herbaceous

Perennation

Biennial

Native distribution

Not Native to the Finger Lakes Region, Eastern North America

Cultivation

An attractive plant with slender 1-5' spikes of cobalt blue, open-faced flowers.
Light: part sun to full shade.
Moisture and Soil: dry to moist, flexible soil type.

Propagation

Seed Treatment and Storage: Seeds need light to germinate. Surface sow in seed starting mix or similar medium. Moist cold stratify 30-60 days then bring to 70°F.

Biocultural value

Leaves and roots were used to relieve coughs including whooping cough and tuberculosis. The Haudenosaunee prepared an infusion of crushed American bellflower roots and used it as a remedy for whooping cough. The Meskwaki prescribed the leaves for coughs and tuberculosis.

The statements above were sourced from:

Native American Ethnobotany Database: http://naeb.BRIT Native American Ethnobotany Database.org/

Wildlife value

Long-tongued bees, such as bumblebees (Bombus spp.) and leaf-cutting bees (Megachilidae family), are American bellflower's primary pollinators. The specialist long-tongued bee Megachile campanulae only visits plants in the genus Campanula. Additional floral visitors include Halictid bees, butterflies, syrphid flies, and skippers. White-tailed deer occaisionally eat American bellflower foliage.

Location

Mundy Wildflower Garden, Robison Herb Garden

Source of plant

PRAIRIE MOON

Description

Erect annual or biennial to 1.8m tall; stem usually simple. Lower leaves rosulate, ovate-cordate, acuminate, petiolate, crenate, pubescent, upper leaves lanceolate, narrowed at both ends, dentate. Flowers in leaf axils, in racemes; calyx obconic, lobes linear; corolla rotate, lobes pubescent, pale blue to white.

USDA Hardiness Zone

3

Special characteristics

medicinal/pharmaceutical

Status

L1|S1|G5