This native, annual or biennial member of the bluebell  family actually does not have bell-shaped flowers - the 5 lobes are flat. The flowers are pale blue with a paler ring in the center. There are five deeply cleft lobes. The protruding style is long and curved. Flowers are borne singly or in groups in the axils of the upper leaves, forming an elongated spike-like cluster. Each flower is 0.75 to 1 inch in diameter. In bright light, the petals take on a satiny appearance.  Individual flowers are short-lived but the plant can bloom for about 1.5 months. The bracts beneath the flowers are leaf-like. The fruit is a 5-angled seed capsule.

The alternate leaves are 3-6 inches long, thin and ovate to lance-shaped, and have a toothed margin. The stem is slightly grooved and hairy. The plant grows to a height of 1.5 to 6 feet.

This species can be found in rich soils in thickets, open woods, and on banks. The plant has a preference for light shade to partial sun and moderately moist soil. It is found from Minnesota to southern Ontario, New York and south. It is not normally found in New England and seems most common in a belt from Pennsylvania to Missouri. It is present in almost all counties of Western Pennsylvania. The blooming period is June to August.