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Lobelia Lobelia erinus

Other plants called Lobelia:

Phonetic Spelling
low-BEE-lee-a EAR-in-us
This plant has medium severity poison characteristics.
See below
Description

Many cultivars are available: ‘Blue Moon’ has dark blue flowers; ‘Cambridge Blue’ has clear, soft blue flowers on compact, upright 4- to 6-inch plants; ‘Crystal Palace’, bronze-green leaves, dark blue flowers on compact plants; ‘Paper Moon’ has white flowers; ‘Rosamunde’, carmine red flowers with a white eye; ‘White Lady’ and ‘Snowball’, pure white flowers; ‘Blue Cascade’, ‘Fountain’ series, ‘Hamburgia’, and ‘Sapphire’ have trailing forms, suitable for hanging baskets or raised planters. ‘Sapphire’ has purple flowers with a white eye and is one of the best trailing lobelias. Plants should be cut back after each flush of flowering to encourage new blossoms.

Damping-off, stem rot, root rot, if conditions are too damp

Low drought tolerance

Poison Part: All parts

Poison Delivery Mode: Ingestion

Symptoms: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, salivation, exhaustion and weakness, dilation of pupils, convulsions, and coma

Toxic Principle: Alkaloids lobelamine, lobeline, and others, plus a volatile oil

Severity: TOXIC ONLY IF LARGE QUANTITIES EATEN

Found in: Forest or natural area, in moist woods and fields, the edge of streams; landscape, in flower gardens, cultivated herbaceous annuals, and perennials

 

More information on Lobelia.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Border Landscape Pinewild County Club, Moore County
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Compacta'
  • 'Laguna Heavenly Lilac'
'Compacta', 'Laguna Heavenly Lilac'
Tags:
#poisonous#full sun tolerant#violet#white flowers#fall interest#summer flowers#spring interest#pollinator plant#butterfly friendly#partial shade tolerant#perennial#annual
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Compacta'
  • 'Laguna Heavenly Lilac'
'Compacta', 'Laguna Heavenly Lilac'
Tags:
#poisonous#full sun tolerant#violet#white flowers#fall interest#summer flowers#spring interest#pollinator plant#butterfly friendly#partial shade tolerant#perennial#annual
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Lobelia
    Species:
    erinus
    Family:
    Campanulaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Annual
    Dimensions:
    Height: 0 ft. 4 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
    Width: 0 ft. 4 in. - 0 ft. 6 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Annual
    Poisonous
    Habit/Form:
    Erect
  • 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)
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Type:
    Capsule
    Fruit Description:
    inconspicuous and not showy
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Blue
    Pink
    Purple/Lavender
    White
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Fall
    Spring
    Flower Shape:
    Tubular
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    6 petals/rays
    Flower Description:
    Flowers are white, scarlet, or blue, 5-parted, tubular and irregular-shaped with 2 lips
  • Leaves:
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Linear
    Obovate
    Leaf Margin:
    Crenate
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    1-3 inches
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Attracts:
    Butterflies
    Pollinators
    Problems:
    Poisonous to Humans
  • Poisonous to Humans:
    Poison Severity:
    Medium
    Poison Symptoms:
    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