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Lobelia
CAMPANULACEAE
Herbaceous Perennials, Annuals
Contact with the
milky sap of some species may irritate the skin, and are harmful if eaten
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A genus of annuals, perennials, and deciduous or evergreen shrubs,
grown mostly for their abundant, vibrantly coloured flowers, which are
produced throughout Summer and early-Autumn in jewel-like shades of azure, violet, carmine and
scarlet, or softer pastel shades of white, pink, and pale-blue.
Annual lobelias are
truly deserving of their popularity, easily adapting to being used as
bedding plants edging the flower borders or filling hanging baskets and
planters, Whilst the taller erect spikes of the hardy perennial lobelia
provide an impressive contribution to the Herbaceous Borders.
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| Varieties: -
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Lobelia.
cardinalis
[Cardinal Flower]
© Thompson & Morgan
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Lobelia.
'Cherry Ripe'
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Form: A clump-forming perennial
Hardiness: Fully-Hardy
Height: 3ft (1m)
Spread: 9in (23cm)
Foliage: Having fresh-green, often tinged bronze, leaves.
Flowers: During mid- to late-Summer, producing spikes of scarlet
blooms.
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Lobelia.
'Dark Crusader'
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Form: A
clump-forming perennial.
Hardiness: Half-Hardy.
Height: 3ft (1m)
Spread: 9in (23cm)
Foliage: Having lanceolate, fresh-green or reddish-bronze leaves.
Flowers: From mid- to late-Summer producing racemes of two-lipped,
dark red flowers.
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Lobelia. erinus
'Blue Cascade'
© Thompson & Morgan
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Form: A
slow-growing, pendulous, perennial grown as an annual
Hardiness: Half-Hardy
Height: 4-8in (10-20cm)
Spread: 4-6in (10-15cm)
Foliage: Having mostly lanceolate, pale-green leaves.
Flowers: During Summer and early Autumn producing small,
two-lipped, pale-blue flowers.
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Lobelia. erinus
'Cambridge Blue'
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Form: A
compact, slow-growing, pendulous, perennial grown as an annual
Hardiness: Half-Hardy
Height: 4-8in (10-20cm)
Spread: 4-6in (10-15cm)
Foliage: Having mostly lanceolate, pale-green leaves.
Flowers: During Summer and early Autumn producing small,
two-lipped, blue flowers.
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Lobelia. erinus
'Colour Cascade'
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Form: A
slow-growing, pendulous, perennial grown as an annual
Hardiness: Half-Hardy
Height: 4-8in (10-20cm)
Spread: 4-6in (10-15cm)
Foliage: Having mostly lanceolate, pale-green leaves.
Flowers: During Summer and early Autumn producing small, two-lipped
flowers, in a mixture of colours including blue, red, pink, mauve, or
white.
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Lobelia. erinus
'Crystal Palace'
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Form: A
slow-growing, pendulous, perennial grown as an annual
Hardiness: Half-Hardy
Height: 4-8in (10-20cm)
Spread: 4-6in (10-15cm)
Foliage: Having mostly lanceolate, bronzed leaves.
Flowers: During Summer and early Autumn producing small, deep-blue
flowers.
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Lobelia. erinus
'Red Cascade'
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Form: A
slow-growing, pendulous, perennial grown as an annual
Hardiness: Half-Hardy
Height: 4-8in (10-20cm)
Spread: 4-6in (10-15cm)
Foliage: Having mostly lanceolate, bronzed leaves.
Flowers: During Summer and early Autumn producing small, purple-red
flowers with white eyes.
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Lobelia. erinus
'Sapphire'
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Form: A
slow-growing, pendulous, perennial grown as an annual
Hardiness: Half-Hardy
Height: 4-8in (10-20cm)
Spread: 4-6in (10-15cm)
Foliage: Having mostly lanceolate, bronzed pale-green leaves.
Flowers: During Summer and early Autumn producing small,
sapphire-blue flowers with white eyes.
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Lobelia. fulgens
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See: Lobelia. splendens
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Lobelia. x_gerardii
'Vedrariensis'
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Syn:
Lobelia. 'Vedrariensis'
Form: A clump-forming perennial.
Hardiness: Frost-Hardy
Height: 3ft (1m)
Spread: 1ft (30cm)
Foliage: Having lanceolate, dark-green leaves.
Flowers: During late-Summer producing racemes of two-lipped, purple
flowers. |
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Lobelia.
'Queen Victoria'
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Form: A
clump-forming perennial.
Hardiness: Fully-Hardy
Height: 3ft (1m)
Spread: 1ft (30cm)
Foliage: Having deep red-purple leaves.
Flowers: From late-Summer to mid-Autumn producing spikes of
brilliant-red flowers. |
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Lobelia. siphilitica
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Form: A
clump-forming perennial.
Hardiness: Fully-Hardy
Height: 3ft (1m)
Spread: 9in (23cm)
Foliage: Having lanceolate, mid-green leaves.
Flowers: During late-Summer and Autumn producing racemes of
two-lipped, blue flowers.
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Lobelia. splendens
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Syn: Lobelia.
fulgens
Form: A clump-forming perennial.
Hardiness: Half-Hardy
Height: 3ft (1m)
Spread: 9in (23cm)
Foliage: Having lanceolate, reddish-green leaves.
Flowers: From mid- to late-Summer producing racemes of two-lipped,
bright scarlet blossoms.
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Lobelia. tupa
© Thompson & Morgan
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Form: A
clump-forming perennial.
Hardiness: Half-Hardy
Height: 5-6ft (1.5-2m)
Spread: 3ft (1m)
Foliage: Having lozenge-shaped, hairy, light-green leaves.
Flowers: During late-Summer producing large spikes of two-lipped,
red blooms. |
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Lobelia.
'Vedrariensis'
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See: Lobelia
x gerardii 'Vedrariensis'
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Lobelia.
'Will Scarlet'
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Form: A
clump-forming perennial.
Hardiness: Frost-Hardy
Height: 3ft (1m)
Spread: 1ft (30cm)
Foliage: Having lance-shaped coppery-green leaves.
Flowers: During Summer producing racemes of two-lipped, bright red
blossoms.
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Cultivation: -
Grow in deep,
reasonably fertile, moist soil, in sun or partial shade. Lobelia.
cardinalis can be grown in the bog-garden or shallow water [Around 3in
(8cm) deep]. Bedding
varieties flower for longer if grown in partial shade, and require a
weekly feed with a well balanced fertiliser.
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Propagation: -
Sow the seed of
annuals during late-Winter early-Spring @ 55-64oF (13-18oC)
Sow the seed of
perennials species as soon as ripe. (Cultivars can only be propagated by
division)
Divide perennials in
Spring, and aquatic forms during Summer.
Take semi-ripe
cuttings from shrubs during Summer.
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Fully Hardy
*** to Frost Tender * min 41oF (5oC)
Pests & Diseases: -
Slugs can be a real problem.
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