The plant is roughly hairy and the flowers are about 1–2 centimetres (0.4–0.8 in) long, light blue, and grouped together.

[2] Bristly bell flower is a biennial or short-lived perennial herbaceous plant growing to a height of 30 to 100 centimetres (12 to 39 in).

In its first year, this plant produces a rosette of lanceolate, spatulate leaves with winged stalks.

The corolla is five-lobed, 12 to 20 mm (0.5 to 0.8 in) long with five pale blue (or occasionally white) fused petals.

It has become naturalised in Lake and St. Louis counties of Minnesota, but not in other parts of North America.