LOBELIA

While the small mounding annuals often seen decorating flower borders are well-known, Lobelia is a large, enormously variable, and widespread genus that belongs to the bell-flower family (campanulaceae). It includes over 350 species of annuals, perennials, and shrubs, including some amazing megaherbs from the mountains of Eat Africa. Other than the annuals, with their massed summer display of blue, white, or pink flowers, the cultivated forms are mainly perennials from the Americas, most of which form a basal clump of simple foliage from which emerge upright flower stems bearing spikes of brightly colored, tubular, 5-lobed flowers, the lower 3 of which are enlarged. Lobelia species were used medicinally by Native Americans; the Cherokee of the eighteenth century reputedly had an infallible lobelia-based syphilis cure.


CULTIVATION


Requirements vary widely but most are at home in a sunny position with moist well-drained soil. Tall types may need staking. Propagation is from seed for annuals and perennials, the latter also by division or basal cuttings.


Top Tip


Whether it is for adding a decorative touch to the garden border, for hanging basket culture, or for waterside planting-there's a lobelia for almost every purpose.