| Description |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | (lo-BEE-li-ah) | |
| Plant Type | Perennial Tender, Site author's observations | |
| Hardiness Zone | 9-11 | |
| Sunlight | full sun, tolerates a little shade | |
| Moisture | When grown in a garden Lobelia requires average water. In containers Lobelia rapidly fills in a pot and needs to be kept moist or the plant will quickly dry up. Doesn't like to be dry but doesn't like to be water logged. | |
| Soil & Site | average, well drained | |
| Growing Media | growing media for containers is best if well drained and moisture retentive | |
| Temperature | preforms best in the cooler time of the growing season, slows down in hot weather | |
| Flowers | fan shaped with two small petals and three broad petals, dark violet blue, very florific | |
| Leaves | narrow, green or bronze | |
| Stems | wiry, much branching forming a tangled web | |
| Dimensions | mounding cascading | |
| Maintenance | Will need a light shear in mid summer to promote new foliage and flowers. It can be cut back hard if needed. | |
| Propagation | Tiny seeds are slow to germinate. I like to seed directly into the final container, as opposed to seeding in a flat than pricking out | |
| Misc Facts | Named after Matthias De L'Obel, an English Botanists. Contains a poison alkaloid called Lobeic acid. | |
| Author's Notes | The secret to growing Lobelia is well-drained, moisture-retentive soil kept evenly moist and cut back when necessary. Hot humid weather poorly drained media spells a midsummer meltdown | |
| Notes & Reference | #27-Rodale's Annual Gardens (Paul Loewer), #28-Cottage Garden Annuals(Clive Lane), #43-Taylor's Guide to Container Gardening #109-Annuals and Tender Perennials for North American Gardens (Wayne Winterroud) |
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