Growing Tips

• Plant in deep fertile soil which is reliably moist in summer.(You can tell this is moist by the moss)
• Lobelia grow well in sun or partial shade.
• Some varieties are a bit short lived 3-4 years but as they are so spectacular it is worth splitting clumps or taking cuttings to get re-energised plants at least in alternate years.
• Perennial Lobelia species make good herbaceous border plants

Lobelia to Grow

• Lobelia Cardinalis has deep burgundy foliage and rich pinky purple or red flowers for hot coloured planting schemes. RHS is currently offering Russian Princess variety at £15 +  p&p (so the colours need to be rich).
• A three foot high Lobelia x speciosa Vedraniensis flowers with the traditional 5 lobed blue-indigo flowers.
• Hadspen Purple is a more compact variety that need to be planted in swathes for best effect.
• Lobelia tupa has beautifully felted leaves and narrow tubular brick-red to orange flowers which are borne from mid summer on long racemes. It is also called the Devil’s Tobacco.

With hundreds of species, varieties and named cultivars the Lobelia family is large and wide ranging – have a look at the family for yourself.

Other Resources

Royal Horticultural Society RHS ‘Gardening for All’
National Council for Conservation of Plants and Gardens ‘Conservation through Cultivation.’
Garden Organic National Charity for Organic Gardening.
BBC Gardening