Lobelia erinus
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- loh-BEE-lee-a EAR-in-us
- This plant has medium severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
Lobelia is a flowering herbaceous perennial, native to southern Africa, and a member of the bellflower family. In the wild, it is typically found in forests or natural areas, in moist woods and fields, and the edge of streams. It is winter hardy within a narrow set of USDA sub-tropical zones and is often grown as an annual in cooler climates north of zone 10. It seems to do much better with cool springs than with hot or humid summers. The plant is relatively small (4 to 9 inches), but produces heavy blooms of colorful flowers in late spring well into the summer.
Cultivars can have an upright or trailing form and offer many different flower colors, including blue, violet, purple, red and pink, often with yellow or white eyes. Trailing forms are excellent for hanging baskets while the upright form lends itself to edging and flower beds.
Lobelia does best in organically rich, moist, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade with regular applications of fertilizer every two weeks in the growing season. It should be consistently watered and does not tolerate drought. It can be difficult to grow from seed, but an annual planting of purchased plants can be more successful. After each flowering, and especially when the foliage and flowers begin to fail in summer, you can cut the plant back for new blossoms.
Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:
Under wet conditions, watch for damping-off, stem rot, or root rot.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Border Landscape Pinewild County Club, Moore County
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Blue Moon'
Dark blue flowers. - 'Cambridge Blue'
Clear, soft blue flowers on compact, upright 4- to 6-inch plants. - 'Compacta'
- 'Crystal Palace'
Bronze-green leaves, dark blue flowers on compact plants. - 'Hamburgia'
Trailing form suitable for hanging baskets or raised planters. - 'Laguna Heavenly Lilac'
- 'Paper Moon'
White flowers. - 'Rosamunde'
Carmine red flowers with a white eye. - 'Sapphire'
Purple flowers with a white eye; one of the best trailing lobelias. - 'Snowball'
Pure white flowers. - 'White Lady'
Pure white flowers.
- 'Blue Moon'
- 'Blue Moon', 'Cambridge Blue', 'Compacta', 'Crystal Palace', 'Hamburgia', 'Laguna Heavenly Lilac', 'Paper Moon', 'Rosamunde', 'Sapphire', 'Snowball', 'White Lady'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Blue Moon'
Dark blue flowers. - 'Cambridge Blue'
Clear, soft blue flowers on compact, upright 4- to 6-inch plants. - 'Compacta'
- 'Crystal Palace'
Bronze-green leaves, dark blue flowers on compact plants. - 'Hamburgia'
Trailing form suitable for hanging baskets or raised planters. - 'Laguna Heavenly Lilac'
- 'Paper Moon'
White flowers. - 'Rosamunde'
Carmine red flowers with a white eye. - 'Sapphire'
Purple flowers with a white eye; one of the best trailing lobelias. - 'Snowball'
Pure white flowers. - 'White Lady'
Pure white flowers.
- 'Blue Moon'
- 'Blue Moon', 'Cambridge Blue', 'Compacta', 'Crystal Palace', 'Hamburgia', 'Laguna Heavenly Lilac', 'Paper Moon', 'Rosamunde', 'Sapphire', 'Snowball', 'White Lady'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Lobelia
- Species:
- erinus
- Family:
- Campanulaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- South Africa north to Sudan.
- Distribution:
- Pennsylvania, California, Oregon, Morocco, Netherlands, Italy, Britain.
- Wildlife Value:
- Attracts butterflies.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 0 ft. 9 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
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-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Poisonous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Spreading
- Maintenance:
- Medium
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- Inconspicuous fruit contain many small seeds.
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Blue
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- 6 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Flowers are white, scarlet, or blue, 5-parted, tubular and irregular-shaped with 2 lips and yellow to white throat. Typically blooms from April to June. Flowers are about 1/2 inch with fan-shaped lower lips.
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-
Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Linear
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Narrow, linear, serrate stem leaves (to ½” long) may be flushed with bronze. Leaves higher on the stems are slender and sometimes untoothed.
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Hanging Baskets
- Small Space
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans
-
-
Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Medium
- Poison Symptoms:
- Ingesting large quantities of any part of the plant can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, salivation, exhaustion and weakness, dilation of pupils, convulsions, and coma.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Alkaloids lobelamine, lobeline, and others, plus a volatile oil.
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Flowers
- Fruits
- Leaves
- Roots
- Sap/Juice
- Seeds
