Great Blue Lobelia is a North American native and the blue counterpart of the Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) It is a very desirable plant for woodland gardens especially since it blooms bright blue in the summer and is less fussy than the cardinal flower. The unfortunate species name, siphilitica, is based on the fact that it was a supposed cure for syphilis. It forms a low growing rosette of leaves that gives rise to tall, erect stems with lavender-blue, tubular flowers crowded together on the upper stem. It has a long bloom time throughout the summer months.
- Height: 60-91 cm (24-36 in)
- Spread: 45-60 cm (18-24 in)
- Cold Hardiness: Zone 3-9
- Sun or Shade: partial shade
- Bloom Time: mid to late summer
- Leaf Colour: green
- Bloom Colour: blue
- Critter Resistance: deer
- Nature Attraction: bees
Growing and Maintenance Tips
This native plant thrives in moist to wet soils and partially shaded environments, including moist forests, roadside ditches, floodplains, lake margins, and wet prairies. It has survived for many years in our garden in a partially shaded site that stays moist throughout the summer. It self seeds but not aggressively.
Specials
New for 2022