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Lobelia spicata

Phonetic Spelling
loh-BEE-lee-a spih-KAH-tah
This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
See below
Description

This is an erect, annual or perennial herbs; leaves alternate, simple; flowers white, scarlet, or blue, 5-parted, tubular and irregular-shaped with 2 lips; fruit a capsule.

It blooms summer into fall

The foliage consists of 1 to 3.5 in. lance-shaped or narrowly ovate, nearly toothless, light green basal leaves with a simple stem that is densely downy toward the base but smooth above

The flower is an elongated, slender spike-like cluster of small pale purplish-blue to bluish-white flowers; two narrow lobes above and three wider lobes below that form a lip

They are often found in meadows, fields, thickets, and in dry sandy soil or in the forest or natural area, in moist woods and fields, the edge of streams; in the landscape, in flower gardens, cultivated herbaceous annuals and perennials

 

More information on Lobelia.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
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Cultivars / Varieties:
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  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Lobelia
    Species:
    spicata
    Family:
    Campanulaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Annual
    Perennial
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Poisonous
    Wildflower
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Available Space To Plant:
    Less than 12 inches
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Description:
    fruit is a capsule
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Blue
    Purple/Lavender
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Spike
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Fall
    Summer
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Flower Description:
    flowers 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:
    Lanceolate
    Ovate
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Description:
    nearly toothless, light green basal leaves
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Green
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Description:
    simple stem is densely downy toward the base but smooth above
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Meadow
    Naturalized Area
    Slope/Bank
  • Poisonous to Humans:
    Poison Severity:
    Low
    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
    Sap/Juice
    Seeds
    Stems