Sometimes this plant is called "Tall Bellflower." The older scientific name is Campanula americana, but it has been reassigned to its own genus because of the unique structure of the flowers. The flowers of this tall-growing plant are showy, but individually short-lived. However, new flowers are produced in succession higher up on the spike. The other members of the Bellflower family that occur in Illinois, whether native or introduced, have bell-shaped flowers, while the flowers of the American Bellflower have a more open design with widely spreading lobes. Consequently, this species is easy to identify.