Garden lobelia (Lobelia erinus, Sp. Pl.: 932 (1753))

Family: Campanulaceae

Author: L.

Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 932 (1753)

Year: 1753

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Lobelia

Vegetable: False

Observations: Trop. & S. Africa

Description

Garden Lobelia (Lobelia erinus)

The Garden Lobelia, scientifically known as Lobelia erinus, is a charming and vibrant plant that has captured the interest of gardeners and botany enthusiasts for centuries. Its inclusion in Carl Linnaeus’ seminal work “Species Plantarum” of 1753 marks its significance in botanical literature.

Native Habitat and Distribution

Lobelia erinus is indigenous to the sunny regions of tropical and southern Africa. This origin explains the plant’s preference for warm climates and its ability to thrive in diverse environmental conditions, provided it meets its sunlight and moisture needs.

Physical Description

Garden Lobelia is a low-growing, trailing perennial, often used in gardens as an annual due to its delicate appearance and the vibrant color of its flowers. The plant typically forms a dense, lush mat of foliage, reaching about 4-8 inches in height. Its leaves are small, oval, and serrated, forming a perfect backdrop for its main attraction: the flowers.

Flowers

The flowers of Lobelia erinus are tiny, yet strikingly beautiful. They usually bloom in shades of blue, although varieties that produce white, pink, and purple flowers also exist. Each flower is uniquely shaped, with a gentle, tubular form that divides into five lobes, the lower three being slightly larger than the upper two. These blooms are not just visually appealing to humans but also attract a variety of pollinators, including bees and butterflies.

Growth and Care

Garden Lobelia is a favorite in the horticultural community because of its versatility in gardening styles and ease of care. It is commonly planted in borders, containers, hanging baskets, and window boxes where its trailing growth habit adds a touch of elegance.

For optimal growth, Lobelia erinus prefers:

• Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade.
• Soil: Well-drained, moderately fertile soil with regular watering to keep the soil slightly moist.
• Watering: Consistent moisture without waterlogging the soil, which helps prevent root rot.
• Temperature: Mild, temperate climates, as extreme heat can stress the plant.

This plant benefits from regular deadheading to encourage prolonged flowering throughout the growing season. Additionally, it is relatively pest-free but should be monitored for common garden pests like aphids and slugs.

Landscape Uses

The versatility of Garden Lobelia allows it to be used in various landscape designs. It makes an excellent ground cover, providing a colorful carpet in garden beds. In hanging baskets and containers, its trailing nature creates aesthetically pleasing cascades of color. Its ability to blend with other plants makes it a popular choice for mixed borders and floral arrangements.

Cultural Significance and Uses

Beyond its horticultural value, Lobelia erinus has found various uses in traditional practices. Its beauty is so universally appreciated that it is often included in flower shows and garden exhibitions. Despite its modest size, Garden Lobelia has an enduring presence in gardens worldwide, symbolizing delicate beauty and resilience.

Conclusion

In summary, Lobelia erinus, or Garden Lobelia, is a small but mighty plant that offers a splash of color and vibrancy to gardens. Its adaptability, ease of care, and sheer beauty make it a beloved plant among gardeners and a notable species within the Campanulaceae family. Whether used in a hanging basket or as a ground cover, Garden Lobelia continues to enchant and delight all those who cultivate and admire it.

Common Names

Deu: blaue lobelie, kap-lobelie, männertreu
Eng: edging lobelia, garden lobelia, trailing lobelia
Dan: kant-lobelie
Fra: lobélie
Swe: kaplobelia, hänglobelia, kantlobelia
Ces: lobelka modrá
Hun: törpe lobélia
Nld: tuinlobelia
Cym: bidoglys yr ardd
En: Garden lobelia, Trailing lobelia, Edging lobelia, Edging blue lobelia, Sapphire, Fountains Lobelia, Lobelia
Af: Tuin lobelia, Wilde lobelia
Ar: لوبيلية ايرينية
Zh: 六倍利
Cs: Lobelka modrá
Da: Kantlobelie, Kant-lobelie
Nl: Tuinlobelia, Lobelia
Fi: Sinilobelia
Fr: Lobélie, Lobélie érine
De: Männertreu, Blaue Lobelie, Kap-Lobelie, Niedere Lobelie
Hu: Törpe lobélia
Ko: 로벨리아 에리너스
Fa: لبلیا ارینوس
Ru: Лобелия эринус
Sk: Lobelka drobná
Es: Lobelia azulada
Sv: Kaplobelia, Hänglobelia, Kantlobelia
Zh-tw: 六倍利
Cy: Bidoglys yr ardd

Synonyms

• Rapuntium krebsianum (C.Presl)
• Dortmanna flexuosa (Kuntze)
• Lobelia filiformis f. albiflora (E.Wimm.)
• Laurentia erinoides ((L.) G.Nicholson)
• Lobelia erinus var. atrorosea (J.Carter ex J.Dix)
• Monopsis debilis var. conspicua (Sond.)
• Lobelia erinus f. elata (E.Wimm.)
• Monopsis conspicua (Salisb.)
• Lobelia erinus f. bicolor ((Sims) Zahlbr.)
• Lobelia filiformis f. muzandazora (E.Wimm.)
• Dortmanna erinus ((L.) Kuntze)
• Lobelia bicolor (Sims)
• Lobelia erinifolia (Salisb.)
• Lobelia transvaalensis (Schltr.)
• Lobelia jugosa (S.Moore)
• Lobelia erinus var. schrankii ((Sweet) E.Wimm.)
• Lobelia densa (Booth ex Bosse)
• Lobelia erinus var. subvillosa (E.Wimm.)
• Lobelia lavendulacea (Klotzsch)
• Rapuntium erinoides ((L.) Mill.)
• Lobelia benguellensis (Hiern)
• Lobelia erinus var. bellidifolia ((L.f.) Sond.)
• Lobelia acutangula ((C.Presl) A.DC.)
• Lobelia altimontis (E.Wimm.)
• Lobelia erinus f. speciosa (T.Moore)
• Lobelia rosulata (S.Moore)
• Lobelia bicolor rosea (T.Moore)
• Grammatotheca erinoides ((L.) Sond.)
• Lobelia senegalensis (A.DC.)
• Lobelia candida (Link)
• Lobelia turgida (E.Wimm.)
• Rapuntium bicolor ((Sims) C.Presl)
• Lobelia erinus var. bracteolata ((A.DC.) E.Wimm.)
• Lobelia keilhackii (E.Wimm.)
• Rapuntium bellidifolium ((L.f.) C.Presl)
• Lobelia erinus var. gracilis (L.H.Bailey)
• Lobelia oranjensis (E.Wimm.)
• Lobelia natalensis var. subulifolia (Sond.)
• Lobelia gordonii (T.Moore)
• Lobelia chilawana (Schinz)
• Lobelia natalensis (A.DC.)
• Monopsis simplex var. conspicua ((Sond.) E.Wimm.)
• Lobelia nuda f. hirtella (E.Wimm.)
• Lobelia lydenburgensis (E.Wimm.)
• Lobelia melsetteria (E.Wimm.)
• Dortmanna debilis var. natalensis (Kuntze)
• Lobelia filiformis f. multipilis (E.Wimm.)
• Lobelia bellidifolia (L.f.)
• Lobelia turgida var. peteri (E.Wimm.)
• Dortmanna erinoides ((L.) Kuntze)
• Lobelia erinus var. grandiflora (Paxton)
• Lobelia wildii var. arcana (E.Wimm.)
• Lobelia violacea (Bosse)
• Lobelia nuda (Hemsl.)
• Lobelia dortmannii (Dammann)
• Lobelia senegalensis var. turgida ((E.Wimm.) E.Wimm.)
• Lobelia bracteolata (A.DC.)
• Lobelia erinoides (L.)
• Lobelia filiformis var. natalensis ((A.DC.) E.Wimm.)
• Lobelia kohautiana (Vatke)
• Dortmanna lavandulacea ((Klotzsch) Kuntze)
• Dortmanna senegalensis ((A.DC.) Kuntze)
• Rapuntium acutangulum (C.Presl)
• Rapuntium erinus ((L.) Mill.)
• Lobelia raridentata (E.Wimm.)
• Rapuntium kohautianum (C.Presl)
• Lobelia bicolor var. albida (Van Houtte ex T.Moore)
• Rapuntium procumbens ((J.Forbes) C.Presl)
• Lobelia erinus f. compacta (T.Moore)
• Lobelia bicolor lilacina (T.Moore)
• Lobelia montaguensis (E.Wimm.)
• Enchysia erinoides ((L.) C.Presl)
• Lobelia pubescens var. simplex (Kuntze)
• Lobelia rosulata f. hirtella (E.Wimm.)
• Lobelia nuda var. rosulata ((S.Moore) E.Wimm.)
• Lobelia schrankii (Sweet)
• Lobelia paxtoniana (T.Moore)
• Lobelia polyodon (E.Wimm.)
• Dortmanna erinus var. bellidifolia ((L.f.) Kuntze)
• Lobelia trierarchii (R.D.Good)
• Lobelia procumbens (J.Forbes)
• Lobelia nuzana (E.Wimm.)
• Lobelia algoensis (A.DC.)
• Lobelia wildii (E.Wimm.)

Distribution

• Angola (native)
• Botswana (native)
• Cape Provinces (native)
• Caprivi Strip (native)
• Chad (native)
• Ethiopia (native)
• Free State (native)
• KwaZulu-Natal (native)
• Lesotho (native)
• Malawi (native)
• Mozambique (native)
• Namibia (native)
• Niger (native)
• Northern Provinces (native)
• Senegal (native)
• Somalia (native)
• Sudan (native)
• Swaziland (native)
• Tanzania (native)
• Zambia (native)
• Zaïre (native)
• Zimbabwe (native)
• Austria (introduced)
• Azores (introduced)
• Canary Is. (introduced)
• Great Britain (introduced)
• Hawaii (introduced)
• Italy (introduced)
• Madeira (introduced)
• Morocco (introduced)
• New South Wales (introduced)
• South Australia (introduced)
• South European Russi (introduced)
• Tasmania (introduced)
• Tristan da Cunha (introduced)
• Victoria (introduced)

Additional Images

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Habit

Taken Jun 10, 2021 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 10, 2021 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 11, 2021 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 8, 2022 by Sabina Hartmann (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 28, 2021 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Taken Jul 26, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 18, 2021 by Colette Boulet (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 30, 2022 by Darren Giddins (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 9, 2022 by David Hocken (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 8, 2022 by Sabina Hartmann (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Taken Jun 25, 2017 by jose (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 31, 2017 by Sutti Debora (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 25, 2017 by jose (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 25, 2017 by jose (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 31, 2019 by Thomas De Sutter (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken Jun 1, 2022 by Frank Iseler (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 5, 2020 by nolu (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 12, 2022 by Ka Fee (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 23, 2021 by Mateusz H (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 30, 2022 by Tristan Jaton-Maria (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken Aug 31, 2019 by Jean-Pierre glaux (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 29, 2022 by Tony Nutley (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 6, 2022 by Ans Sa (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 4, 2022 by Mahedero Pablo (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 8, 2021 by Jaelle Kaylor (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Taken Jul 11, 2022 by 🐞Hélène🐦 (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 29, 2019 by Peter Kulb (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 3, 2022 by raoul Courbin (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 28, 2021 by Aldin Aldinov (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 17, 2021 by Rebecca Townsend (cc-by-sa)

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/5408087)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:143240-1)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Lobelia erinus L.)

Specifications

Growth habit: Forb/herb

Growth