How To Care For Lobelia
- Lobelia is generally a low maintenance plant.
- Keep plants well watered especially during the mid-summer heat.
- Cutting back the plants after the first initial batch of blooms have faded will promote additional flowers.
- You can fertilize with an all-purpose liquid fertilizer ever 3-4 weeks, but it is not absolutely necessary.
See more
Why does my lobelia keep dying?
Your lobelia plant may wilt with too much water or too little. Keep in mind that a lobelia plant that is wilting does not necessarily always need water. Sometimes lobelia plants wilt when they have too much water. Always check the soil dryness to determine if you should give the lobelia plant some water.
How do you care for potted lobelia?
Soil: Lobelia prefers rich, well-amended soil with a slightly acidic pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Mulch with a layer of compost to add nutrients, suppress weeds and retain moisture. For containers, use a high-quality all-purpose potting mix. Watering: Keep lobelia evenly moist but not soggy.
Can lobelia be kept indoors?
Northern gardeners will have to plant these Lobelias in containers and bring them indoors before any danger of frost. Even overwintering Lobelia plants indoors is no guarantee they will re-bloom in spring since these are short lived plants. Place them in indirect but bright light, away from drafts.
How do you keep lobelia blooming?
Lobelia likes rich, well-drained soil. Don't let conditions get soggy, however, which can cause root rot. If planting lobelia in a container or hanging basket, a good potting soil will keep this pretty plant blooming all season long.
Is lobelia good in containers?
The shape of lobelia makes it an excellent container plant. Depending on the variety it can make a mounding border, or it can spill and trail over the edges. The trailing varieties are especially ideal for window boxes and hanging baskets.
Is lobelia good in pots?
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.
Do lobelia come back every year?
Lobelia cardinalis is a short-lived perennial, so divide it every 2 years in spring to maintain its vigour....Perennial lobelia.Flowering season(s)Summer, AutumnFoliage season(s)Spring, Summer, Autumn, WinterSunlightPartial shade, Full sun6 more rows
How often should I water lobelia?
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. You can check this by sticking your finger in the soil. Water early in the morning to give all leaves enough time to dry.
Should I cut back my lobelia?
Yes. Cutting back lobelia plants improves their appearance and health. It also encourages the plant to produce more flowers over a longer period of time. The three types of pruning that benefit lobelia plants are removing spent flowers, pinching, and cutting back.
How do you make lobelia thrive?
All lobelias need a spot in full sun or part shade, and reliably moist soil. The annual varieties don't need deadheading but can be cut back in mid summer to maintain bushiness and good flowering. Deadhead perennial varieties once they've finished flowering and cut foliage back in autumn.
Does lobelia bloom all summer long?
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.
What month does lobelia flower?
OverviewOfficial Plant NameLobeliaFlowersShowy, two-lipped flowersWhen To SowApril, MayFlowering MonthsJuly, August, SeptemberWhen To PruneSeptember, October5 more rows•May 18, 2021
Should I cut back my lobelia?
Yes. Cutting back lobelia plants improves their appearance and health. It also encourages the plant to produce more flowers over a longer period of time. The three types of pruning that benefit lobelia plants are removing spent flowers, pinching, and cutting back.
Do lobelia come back every year?
Lobelia cardinalis is a short-lived perennial, so divide it every 2 years in spring to maintain its vigour....Perennial lobelia.Flowering season(s)Summer, AutumnFoliage season(s)Spring, Summer, Autumn, WinterSunlightPartial shade, Full sun6 more rows
How often should I water my lobelia?
Water perennial lobelias, especially Lobelia cardinalis, regularly – the soil needs to be kept moist at all times. Feed with an all-purpose, balanced food in spring and early summer, switching to a high potash feed from midsummer.
How long do lobelia flowers last?
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.
How to make lobelia last longer?
I have a question about lobelia. Every year I plant it in a variety of containers and it looks great for a couple of months. I fertilise religiously (as per the instructions), but at about mid-season, it often starts to get straggly, flowers less and bits start to die off.
Comments (8)
I always trim the dead & straggly ones. In fact, mine make it through winter here, & I give them a good haircut in Spring, and they grow right back.
How to keep lobelia from dying back?
Perennial Lobelia in winter will die back. Leaves drop and stem s may get soft. Cut them back after flowering to a couple of inches (5 cm.) above the ground. Spread organic mulch around the root zone but keep it away from the main stems. Covering these can promote rot.
Can Lobelia come back in winter?
Lobelia Winter Hardiness. Lobelia in winter will die back no matter which variety you have. However, the annual Lobelia may not come back at all even if it formed seed. This is due to incorrect germination requirements. But it is easy to plant from seed in controlled situations.
Can Lobelia erinus survive freezing?
But it is easy to plant from seed in controlled situations. Perennial plants will die back but, if given proper care, should flourish anew when temperatures warm up. Lobelia erinus is the annual variety of the plant and comes in many species. It is not hardy in cold temperatures and will not survive being frozen.
Is Lobelia a perennial or annual?
Image by alexbruce. There are many types of Lobelia . Some are annuals and some are perennials and some are annuals only in northern climates. Annuals will usually self-seed and come back the next year, while perennials will re-sprout from the dormant plant in spring. Lobelia winter hardiness varies by species, ...
Can Lobelia be grown outside in winter?
That is a pretty broad temperature range and almost any gardener can have success with these forms as outdoor plants in winter.
Can Lobelia be cut back?
In warmer zones, annual Lobelia can remain outdoors and will continue to bloom if cut back. Eventually, the plant will die out but should reseed. Northern gardeners will have to plant these Lobelias in containers and bring them indoors before any danger of frost.
How to keep lobelia from looking messy?
Cut back the plant by half or more at the end of its bloom period. Trimming back lobelia plants keeps them from looking messy, and it may encourage another flush of blooms.
How to trim a spiky plant?
For spiky types, wait until the entire spike has faded before clipping out the stems. Cut back the plant by half or more at the end of its bloom period .
Do lobelia survive winter?
They survive winters in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 and 11, but they are usually grown as spring annuals because they fade in the summer heat. 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.
Should I Prune My Lobelia?
Yes. Cutting back lobelia plants improves their appearance and health. It also encourages the plant to produce more flowers over a longer period of time. The three types of pruning that benefit lobelia plants are removing spent flowers, pinching, and cutting back.
How do I keep my lobelia blooming?
Cut back the plant by half or more at the end of its bloom period. Trimming back lobelia plants keeps them from looking messy , and it may encourage another flush of blooms.
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 do you deadhead lobelia?
With finger and thumb. The simplest method is to just pinch off the faded blooms with finger and thumb.
Why do my lobelia keep dying?
Too Little Water. During warm weather, lobelia leaves and flowers can dry out. If the dehydration is too severe, the plant may die. Water your lobelia in pots consistently so the soil stays moist and never draws away from the side of the container.
Will lobelia come back every year?
Lobelia in winter will die back no matter which variety you have. However, the annual Lobelia may not come back at all even if it formed seed. The annual forms tend to get weedy when temperatures get hot in summer but can be rejuvenated by cutting the plants back by half.
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.
Why are my annual flowers not blooming?
Annual plants typically bloom for most of the growing season. If they stop blooming, it may be caused by: Overfeeding: Nitrogen promotes leaf and stem growth, so too much nitrogen results in green plants with no blooms. Light: The amount of sunlight is crucial to getting plants to bloom.
What is lobelia used for?
The flowers, leaves, and seeds are used in various preparations. Lobelia inflata is a species of lobelia long utilized for medicinal purposes.
Where is Lobelia native to?
Lobelia is a group of flowering plants native to North America.
Why is lobelia used for asthma?
This is because lobeline may relax your airways, stimulate breathing, and clear mucus from your lungs ( 1, 5 ).
What is Lobelia inflata?
What it is. Benefits. Dosage & side effects. Bottom line. Lobelia is a genus of flowering plants, some of which have been harvested for herbal remedies for centuries . The most commonly used is Lobelia inflata, though several species may be beneficial for health. Studies suggest that compounds in Lobelia inflata may aid asthma, depression, ...
What are the alkaloids in Lobelia?
Lobelias contain several different alkaloids, or compounds that provide therapeutic or medicinal effects. Well-known alkaloids include caffeine, nicotine, and morphine ( 1 ).
Is Lobelia inflata toxic?
However, high doses can be toxic and may cause serious side effects.
Does Lobelia help with asthma?
Even though lobelia is often recommended by both herbalists and physicians to treat asthma and related issues , no human studies have examined its effects on respiratory ailments.