Annuals & Biennials

Lobelia
Lobelia
lobelia

- Height 4-9 in (10-23 cm)
- Planting distance 4 in (10 cm)
- Flowers late spring to fall
- Fertile, moisture-retentive soil
- Sunny or partially shaded site
- Half-hardy perennial grown as hardy annual

Though grown as an annual, Lobelia erinus is correctly a half-hardy perennial. It is a small plant, only 4-9 in (10-23 cm) high, with light green leaves, and it produces a mass of small blue flowers from late spring until the fall frosts. More popular than the species are the many cultivars, which may be either compact, making neat domes 4-6 in (10-15 cm) high, or trailing in a spread 1 ft (30 cm) wide. These cultivars may be white, pale blue, deep purplish-blue, or wine-red. Compact cultivars are good for edging, while those with trailing habit make an attractive display in hanging baskets, window boxes, and other containers.

Popular species and cultivars
The following cultivars are readily available.
'Blue Moon' is a compact, early flowering cultivar. The large flowers are clear blue.
'Cambridge Blue' is neat and compact with light blue flowers.
'Color Cascade Hybrids' are a mixture of cascading cultivars coming in blue, purple, red, and white, usually with white eyes.
'Crystal Palace' is a compact cultivar bearing rich deep blue flowers. The foliage is bronze-colored.
'Lilac Fountain' is a trailing cultivar, with pale lilac-pink flowers. Other strains in this series include white and blue cultivars.
'Mrs. Clibran' is a compact plant bearing rich violet-blue flowers with white eyes.
'Red Cascade' is a trailing cultivar with wine-red, white-eyed flowers
'Rosamund' is a compact cultivar bearing crimson flowers with white eyes.
'Sapphire' is a trailing cultivar with white-eyed, glossy deep blue flowers.
'Snowball' is a compact cultivar with white flowers, though some are slightly tinged with blue.

Annuals
and
Biennials