Lobelia should delight your garden with beautiful blooms about mid-summer, continuing on up to the first frost. Although not necessary, you can deadhead lobelia plants to maintain a neat appearance.

What month does lobelia flower?

Flowers: Masses of tiny 2-lipped flowers in shades of blue white, pink, red and purple (depending on variety). Flowering Period: Mid-summer to early autumn (May to October). Soil: Moist but well-drained, fertile soil. Sand or loam.

Does lobelia come up every year?

Lobelia erinus is the annual variety of the plant and comes in many species. ... The annual forms tend to get weedy when temperatures get hot in summer but can be rejuvenated by cutting the plants back by half. Perennial forms will bloom almost into the middle of fall.

How do I get my lobelia to bloom?

Edging and trailing lobelia follow a schedule similar to pansies and linaria, and most growers remove them in early summer when they no longer look their best. If you decide to leave them in the garden, cut them back by one-half to two-thirds to encourage fall blooms.

Why is my lobelia not blooming?

Too Much Heat

It does not like high heat or humidity and may cease flowering during this type of weather. At this point, you can remove your lobelia from its hanging basket and compost or discard it. If, however, you want to try for a fall bloom, prune off the spent flowers and trim the plant back to a tidy form.

Facts about Lobelia Plants

Will lobelia bloom all summer?

The lobelia plant (Lobelia spp.) is an attractive annual herb with many varieties. ... Lobelia is an easy-to-grow, carefree plant that enjoys cool weather. This summertime bloomer will continue to produce flowers on up through the first frost.

Will lobelia rebloom if cut back?

Cutting back a lobelia plant will increase the blooming season and increase the number of new blossoms. Pinch back the tips of the young lobelia plants when you purchase them from the nursery. Without this initial pinching, the stems can grow long and make the plant look leggy and unkempt.

Why are my lobelia dying?

Lobelias don't care for heat or drought; their transport tissues aren't designed to function under extreme heat so leaves often brown and curl up from the outer edge inward when it's too hot. Lobelia with brown leaves but healthy stems may have been exposed to too much sun or simply not watered enough.

How do you keep annual lobelia blooming all summer?

Water regularly.

Lobelia requires consistent soil moisture for prolific blooms. Water the plants regularly in the absence of rainfall, so that the soil is moist but not soggy. To help keep the soil surrounding lobelia consistently moist, mulch with a 2-inch layer of ground bark or leaf mold.

Do slugs like lobelia?

In the United States, another kind of lobelia is a common wild plant, Lobelia cardinalis. ... You can try to grow it in Britain, but it is a choice horticultural plant and a delicacy for slugs who like to gorge on the bottoms of its stems.

Are all lobelia perennials?

Lobelia is a genus of about 370 species of annuals, perennials (even some aquatics) and shrubs. They are all basically perennials, but some are treated as annuals. In their native habitat they may be found along riverbanks, wet meadows, marshes, woodlands, mountain slopes and deserts.

Is lobelia good ground cover?

Use Lobelia plants in containers, hanging baskets, edging along the flower garden, and as a general ground cover. ... Blue Lobelia flowers make a beautiful ground cover that performs well in full sun to partial shade. Growing Lobelia Erinus from seed is very rewarding!

How long do lobelia plants last?

High heat can cause lobelia to suffer, but the plants stay in bloom for many weeks in areas with cool nights.

How often should I water lobelia?

Careful watering is essential in getting lobelia perennials off to a good start. Water thoroughly at least once a week to help new roots grow down deeply. Soil should be damp at about 1 inch below the soil surface.

Can lobelia tolerate frost?

There are half-hardy annuals which tolerate cold temperatures but not direct frost. Select from the upright verbenas, asters, ageratum, gazania, geraniums, and lobelia. ... All these frost-hardy annuals and perennials can be used in containers set out on decks and patios to brighten up our outdoor living areas.

Is lobelia a good house plant?

The profusion of blooms makes growing lobelia in a pot an excellent choice. Deciding to grow lobelia in planters is a great way to ensure the success of this flower. Although these flowering plants are beautiful, they do require some specific growing conditions to truly thrive.

Is lobelia a sun or shade?

Lobelia. Add lobelias to shade gardens for rich, true blues. These trailing, colorful shade annuals bloom prolifically in spring and fall, almost covering themselves in flowers. Annual lobelia is a cool-season plant that can tolerate most light conditions, including shade.

Does lobelia like to be fertilized?

You can fertilize lobelia with compost, but, since it is a heavy feeder, many gardeners prefer to feed it with a liquid fertilizer every two weeks.

Is lobelia an evergreen?

Buy lobelia - Evergreen / deciduous: Deciduous - Delivery by Crocus.

What Colour is lobelia?

Traditionally, lobelia has been offered in every shade of blue known. Now, lobelia has started to break into the pink, lavender and dark-purple color ranges. White is another traditional color of lobelia, but bicolors of white and blue, and white and lavender are starting to become available.

How do you care for a lobelia hanging basket?

Water the hanging lobelia basket often to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. Apply the water to the top of the basket until it runs freely out the bottom and sides of the container. During the height of summer, the hanging basket may require daily watering to keep the soil moist.

How do you deadhead a lobelia plant?

If deadheading the flowers on the individual stems, head them back toward the base, so they aren't sticking up above the foliage. Snip at an angle, so water will run off the cut if it rains. Alternatively, shear back the entire plant by half once the flowers have finished blooming and begun to dry out in midsummer.

Do you pinch out lobelia?

Cutting back a lobelia plant will increase the blooming season and increase the number of new blossoms. Pinch back the tips of the young lobelia plants when you purchase them from the garden centre. Without this initial pinching, the stems can grow long and make the plant look leggy and unkempt.

How do you propagate lobelia?

If you can find some new growth stems on your lobelia, choose a 4-5-inch stem, one with three or four nodes (these are the buds where the leaves emerge). Push the cuttings into a wet potting soil, leaving about half the stem above the soil. Place your cuttings in a protected shady place.