Family: Campanulaceae
Common name: Edging lobelia, Trailing lobelia, Garden lobelia, Annual lobelia, Blue lobelia, Dwarf annual lobelia
Edging lobelia are unbelievably beautiful plants that can be grown in flower bed, hangings baskets, or wide shallow pots. They can add color and vibrance to your garden with their bright and elegant flowers. Though these plants originated in Africa, they are loved all over the world, especially in temperate weather countries.
Plant characteristics
Edging lobelia is a tender perennial that only grows to a height of 10-15 cm, but can spread up to 30 cm forming a beautiful thick mat on the ground. The root system is quite shallow and hence they can be planted in shallow soil or containers.
Stem of the Edging lobelia is heavily branched and trailing, green in color, sometimes having a tinge of red. Leaves are small about 1-3 cm long; the lower leaves roughly oval in shape and upper leaves long and slender.
The stems are usually covered with leaves forming a mat of dark green that provides a striking background for the bright flowers.
The flowers of Edging lobelia are stunningly beautiful, ranging in colors from deep blue to purple, pink, and white with differently colored throats. They are only 1-2 cm in diameter, but they bloom profusely from spring till late fall covering your garden with dense clusters of flowers.
Flowers are formed in small bunches that are about 8-10 cm long with a number of flowers. The flowers have 5 petals, 3 larger petals towards the bottom, and 2 fused petals at the top.
These plants also produce small fruit capsules that contain numerous tiny seeds. Edging lobelias are capable of self-seeding from seeds that have fallen in the ground, that can germinate when favorable growing conditions arise.
Gardening Tips
Edging lobelia plants thrive in cool, temperate weather, but they need good sunlight to grow and bloom. Well-draining soil with good nutrition is essential for the plant, as water logging can lead to root rot. Regular watering and fertilization is mandatory, especially during the growing season.
Deadheading spent flowers can help the plant focus its energy on flowering instead of seed production. They are susceptible to infections since the foliage and flowers buds are so close to the soil. Spraying organic pesticides like neem oil or insecticidal soaps can help keep the plant healthy.
There are some beautiful cultivars like Cambridge blue, Color cascade, Crystal palace, String of pearls etc., well-known for their beautiful flower colors.
Uses of Edging lobelia
These plants have some medicinal uses in the treatment of asthma, bronchitis, and respiratory conditions. They are mostly grown as ornamental plants in flower beds, though these plants can look very pretty in hanging baskets because of the long, trailing stems that can cascade along the sides of the pots.
Propagation
Propagation is through seeds or stem cuttings. Seeds can be sown directly into the ground in early spring as soon as the frost clears. Stem cuttings can be taken in spring or summer and planted in well-draining soil.
Photographed at: Kitchener, Toronto and KEW gardens, London
