Image 1 of 10
Dr. Thomas G. Barnes, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, no rights reserved (CC0) · Wikimedia Commons
1 / 10
Lobelia puberula
downy lobelia
Eastern and southeastern United States
Attracts PollinatorsAttracts ButterfliesAttracts HummingbirdsContainer Friendly
Native to North America
Overview
Lobelia puberula is an upright herbaceous perennial growing 1-3 feet (30-90 cm) tall on a single, softly downy stem rising from a basal rosette. The alternate leaves are oblong to lance-shaped, 1-4 inches (2.5-10 cm) long, with shallow teeth and soft hairs on both surfaces. Blue to violet-blue flowers, 0.5-0.8 inch (12-20 mm) long, are two-lipped and tubular, crowded on one side of a tall terminal spike. Bloom runs from late summer into autumn, opening from the bottom of the spike upward. The fruit is a small two-chambered capsule. It grows in moist to seasonally wet meadows, open woods, savannas, and ditch margins in sun or light shade. The plant is short-lived but self-sows where the ground stays open and damp. All parts contain lobeline and related alkaloids that are toxic if eaten. Dry soil and heavy shade reduce flowering and shorten its life.
Native Range
Lobelia puberula is native to the eastern and southeastern United States, from New Jersey and Illinois south to Florida and Texas. It grows in moist meadows, pine savannas, open woodlands, and along ditches and stream banks.Suggested Uses
Planted in rain gardens, moist meadows, and the damp edges of ponds and borders. It combines with other late-season wetland perennials and grasses. The flowers draw bees and butterflies in late summer.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1' - 3'
Width/Spread8" - 1'
Reaches mature size in approximately 2 years
Bloom Information
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
blue to violet-blueFoliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-10 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grow Lobelia puberula in full sun to part shade in moist, humus-rich, slightly acidic soil with a pH of 5.0 to 6.5. It needs steady moisture and tolerates seasonally wet ground, while dry soil shortens its life and reduces bloom. As a short-lived perennial it relies on self-sown seed to persist, and the seed needs light to germinate on the surface. A mulch of leaf litter keeps the roots cool and moist. All parts contain alkaloids that are toxic if eaten.Pruning
No structural pruning is needed. Spent flower spikes can be left to scatter seed or cut back to tidy the planting. Cutting the spike before the seed sets reduces volunteer seedlings.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 2 gallons